Rome in the 4th century B.C. The citizens are in a mutinous mood. The rich are hoarding grain, the poor are starving and rebellion is in the air. One of the main targets of the general malcontent is Caius Martius, a haughty general who makes no secret of his disdain for plebeians. The Volscians begin to gather before the city, and the situation becomes critical. Their leader is Tullus Aufidius, a formidable military commander and arch-enemy of Caius Martius. A decisive battle takes place near the town of Corioles; thanks to the personal valour of General Caius Martius, the Roman army emerges victorious. His bravery earns him the epithet ‘Coriolanus’ – the one who liberated Corioles.