In pre-Roman antiquity, the daughter of an exiled king struggles to survive when she is suddenly thrust into the mysterious and secretive world of the powerful Vestal Virgins.

SYNOPSIS:

The Vestals is a television drama series (easily adapted into an eight-hour mini-series) that takes place in Latium, an ancient kingdom in what is now central Italy. It is a time of myth and magic -- a perfect backdrop for the struggles of a teenage girl who finds herself trapped in a mysterious and secretive sect of priestesses know as the Vestal Virgins. Bound by a vow of chastity, these young beauties nonetheless know how use their sexual prowess to manipulate the military, political, and noble leaders who vie with them for power over the masses.

The series follows the exiling of Rhea Silva to the Vestals and follows her initial attempts to escape her fate, and extends through her rise to power as she becomes one of the most famous Vestal priestesses in the sisterhood's thousand-year history.

At the start of the pilot episode, powerful forces are vying for control over the masses, but it is the secretive order of priestesses the Vestal Virgins that maintains control. The life of the Rhea, the teen-aged daughter of the king, is ripped apart when she witnesses the murder of her older brother and the exile of her father. Rhea is forced into the Vestals, but is convinced that her younger brother has escaped. Trapped and surrounded by those who hate her, she quickly falls into despair, despite the care and mentoring she receives at the hands of an old Vestal who strives to teach her the Vestal ways.

At the same time, a runaway from the army barely escapes capture at the hands of bounty-hunters. Taken in by a sympathetic peasant, the runaway is sheltered and brought back to health. When he decides to continue his journey to the Latium capital, he reveals his quest: to once again find his love and marry her, despite her fathers objections. The peasant is stunned to learn that the young mans love is Rhea, the daughter of the king.

Rhea repulsed when she is paraded around before the masses by the High Priestess on a feast day to convince the people that she has willingly sought to join the Vestals. Put on the spot and forced to decide the fate of a young prisoner, Rhea hears a mysterious voice that no one hears -- one that gives her the guidance to save the young mans life. The people react with joy, singing and chanting Rheas name, which throws the High Priestess into a rage. Rhea realizes that she cannot tolerate the hatred of the High Priestess and the loathing of fellow novices, let alone the Vestal chastity that would prevent her from having the husband and children she longs for. She therefore decides to flee a move that could result in her fathers death.

Rheas younger brother has been in hiding and finally makes his way into the palace where his fathers former counselor takes him in and keeps him safe. He tells the boy that he will arrange to get the boy reunited with his father, the king, who has been exiled in the provinces. In a cruel twist of fate, the counselor hands the boy over to guards who drown him and seal him in a cask of wine intended for the king.

Before Rhea can escape the Vestals, she is shocked to find herself confronted by the goddess Vesta, whose existence she considered to be a silly myth. In a secret room deep below the temple, the goddess demonstrates her divine powers and stuns Rhea by proving that her younger brother is no longer alive. Rhea is devastated. She is convinced that Vesta is responsible for it all -- her father's exile and her brothers' deaths.

Vesta dismisses Rhea's "petty concerns"; Rhea has a larger role to play. Plans have already been set into motion. Rhea must play her role if Latium -- and Vesta's priestesses -- are to be saved. The fate of mankind rests with Rhea. Rhea still refuses to cooperate. Rhea demands to be let out of the secret room and runs off. As she makes her way back to the Vestal novice's residence, the flames of torches along the pathway reach out for her one by one, and Vesta's harsh voice emanates from each, hissing, "You will obey!"

Hiding in the bushes, her arch-rival -- a fellow Vestal novice -- watches, stunned.

Subsequent episodes in the series follow Rhea's ascension to Vestal High Priestess despite the snares and lies she faces from the Vestal High Priestess and fellow Vestal novices. As Rhea grows in her role as High Priestess, her actions not only ensure the survival of the Vestals in the face of attacks from forces within and outside Latium. Her alliance with the god Mars brings about the founding of the Roman Empire, whose legacy will span more than two thousand years.

THE VESTALS: DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?