Titus Lentulus Batiatus was descended from a long line of successful lanistas, and he hoped that his own son, Quintus, would follow in his footsteps. However, Titus did not approve of his son's marriage to Lucretia, a woman with no significant family and no dowry, and she had never born Quintus any children. Lucretia hated Titus for criticising her husband, so she began poisoning Titus' honeyed wine, causing him to develop a cough which was blamed on the dry and dusty enviroment of Capua. Titus headed to the lush island of Sicilia to improve his health, leaving the care of his villa and ludus to Quintus.In Titus' absence, Quintus' business began to flourish due to the victories of his personal champion gladiator Gannicus. He also received patronage from some of Capua's most prominant citizens thanks to the charms of Lucretia's friend, Gaia, another woman of unremarkable status. When Titus returned home upon recovery, he found his son in bed with both Lucretia and Gaia, and he immediately accused his son of dishonouring his house and family name. However, during a match between the gladiators of Titus and Quintus, Titus was impressed by the performances of his son's gladiators and decided he wanted remain in Capua so that father and son could run the ludus together.Lucretia hated being back in Titus' presence, and she started poisoning his wine again, but the cough was not enough to deter Titus, he still intended to run the gladiator business alongside his son and even gave Quintus an ultimatum - Either dissolve his marriage to Lucretia or be banished from the House of Batiatus with her. Titus would then continue the fasmily business in association with Quintus' rival, Tullius.Ultimately, Quintus chose to remain loyal to his wife but could not act against his father. So Lucretia took it on herself to be rid of her father-in-law. She tainted Titus' honeyed wine with a lethal amount of poison and he choked to death on his own blood. She blamed the murder on Tullius, and Batiatus headed out with some of his gladiators to kill Tullius, burying him beneath the foundations of the newly build arena of Capua.The truth that Lucretia was the true cause of Titus' death was never discovered. Show less «