Set in 80BC, the hour-long drama Cicero covers the real-life events surrounding Cicero’s rise to prominence, focussing on the trial of Sextus Roscius: a man accused with having murdered his own father. But is everything quite what it seems?

“Cicero is something of a departure both for me and Big Finish,” says Samuel Barnett, star of Netflix's Dirk Gently. “What really drew me to this script was that we meet Cicero at a time when he is somewhat down on his luck, at the beginning of what would turn out to be an extraordinary and controversial career in law and politics. He’s struggling to support himself and his brother Quintus and can’t seem to find a client to use his services as a fledgling lawyer. He is not yet the brilliant orator and philosopher we come to know him as. He is uncertain and discovering himself.”

“It’s a pure historical drama,” agrees producer and director Scott Handcock. “David Llewellyn has crafted a wonderful script, drawing upon what we know to tell the story of Cicero in a new and engaging way. It’s part detective story, part courtroom drama: I, Claudius meets Garrow’s Law, with a splash of The Last Detective, set against the backdrop of Ancient Rome. It’s a story that’s survived 2000 years and is definitely still worth telling!”

Joining Samuel Barnett are Simon Ludders, Elizabeth Morton, Stephen Critchlow and Youssef Kerkour, with newcomer George Naylor taking on the role of Cicero’s younger brother, Quintus.

"George and I had so much fun making the recording,” continues Samuel. “The two brothers make a great double act. Plenty of dramatic scope and even comedy to be had with this. They are a Roman crime-fighting, justice-seeking duo! And as such, there’s plenty more scope for more stories to be written and recorded…”

Cicero will be released for download in February 2017 and is available to pre-order now at £5. Samuel Barnett is also one of the stars in our recently-announced 2017 release of Hamlet: check it out, and the whole Big Finish Classics range here.