Iudaea

by Jim Branch

The year is AD 132 and Marcus Fidelis Coranus is a Roman cavalry officer pulled from his assignment patrolling Hadrian's Wall in Britannia to the hills of Iudaea on the far side of the Empire where a charismatic Jewish leader name Simon bar Kokhba rages a brutal rebellion against Rome. Coran must leave behind his family to face a conflict that will challenge not only his physical limits but also his duty as as soldier and his beliefs about the depth of man's cruelty. Rome is merciless in the suppression of this last great Jewish revolt in the ancient world, and Coran must weigh his ideals against the reality of war while fighting through his own self-doubt and guilt. It is a timeless story about how cataclysmic events can either make us lose sight of our humanity or lead us to it.

First published August 10, 2010