Antonina was Wilkie's first published novel. It was published by Richard Bentley in 1850.

    It is a historical adventure set in Rome during the invasion of the Goths in 410AD. He researched it in the British Museum library. It was published in three volumes by Richard Bentley in February 1850 and he paid Collins £100 for it - with another £100 when 500 copies had been sold. Collins was interrupted in writing Antonina by the death of his father in 1847. He set the manuscript aside to write his first published work Memoirs of the Life of William Collins R.A., his biography of his father, published in 1848. He had already written a novel for which he could not find a publisher, Iolani also a historical tale, set in Tahiti before Western sailors had landed there.

    Antonina was well received at the time.
 
 

Antonina in Internet (electronic form)
 
 

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