Rome 2: The Coming of the King (48 page)

And yet Menachem, had he succeeded in creating of Judaea an independent nation and holding it against the might of Rome, would have been one of the great heroes of history. As it is, simply by scaling the rock at Masada in
AD
66 and defeating the Roman garrison there, he achieved something almost miraculous that deserves recognition.

Masada

The image below is a modern one, but very little has changed in the past two thousand years except that the Romans built a vast ramp up the side to give their legions access when they retook the fortress in
AD
70, and this can be seen today.

In Menachem’s time, without the ramp, and with the Snake Path – visible here on the eastern slopes – as the only known entry, it was convincingly believed to be impregnable. Even today, it’s still an imposing and awe-inspiring place. One look at the sheer drop on either side of the mountain of stone rising out of the desert would be enough to put off most assaulting armies.

Nevertheless, Menachem not only had the vision to attempt the assault but also the skill at arms to defeat the Roman garrison who held the fortress on top, and thereby arm his men in sufficient numbers to take Jerusalem and drive out the Roman garrison there.

Thereafter, as Josephus proclaims, Menachem ‘returned in the state of a king’ to Jerusalem, and became leader of the sedition, which makes him – in my opinion – the first likely contender for the title of Jewish messiah. If he had held the city and ushered in
the theocracy his grandfather had fought and died for, he would have been the true King of Israel – and the history of the world would be different in so many ways.

This, therefore, is the heart of this book: the taking of Masada and the insurrection that could put a good king on the throne. It took place against a background of regional turmoil: Volgases, King of Kings of Parthia, had installed his own brother on the throne of Armenia and then effectively dared Nero to do something about it. The resulting war saw the humiliation of a Roman legion. An uprising in Judaea was the last thing anybody wanted or needed, but it was more easily dealt with than the giant empire to its east, which goes some way to explaining the Roman desire to keep Judaea secure throughout the first and second centuries.

Before that, though, the Hebrews had one more major triumph: the defeat of the Twelfth legion at the battle of Beth Horon, and the capture of its eagle. The next book in this series,
The Eagle of the Twelfth
, charts the fortunes of that legion and the efforts of some of the surviving legionaries to regain their standard, and their honour.

M. C. Scott
qualified as a veterinary surgeon and taught at the University of Cambridge before turning a lifelong passion for the ancient world into a bestselling writing career.

As well as undertaking research in the University library for this series of novels, Scott is noted for the depth, accuracy and textured depictions of life in Roman times – and has spent weeks living in a roundhouse, has learned to make Roman swords and driven horses in harness the better to bring the detail to life. As Chair of the newly formed Historical Writers’ Association, Scott is active in the promotion of all forms of historical writing.

For more information on all aspects of her work, visit:
www.mcscott.co.uk

For the Historical Writers’ Association, see:
www.TheHWA.co.uk