TITLE- BAR KOKHBA | THE JEW WHO DEFIED HADRIAN AND CHALLENGED THE MIGHT OF ROME
AUTHOR - LINDSAY POWELL
PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS
PUBLICATION DATE - OUT NOW
There have been very few people throughout history of whom
it can be said that their deeds continue to influence the world long after
their time. It is argued by many that Shi’mon Ben Kosiba, aka Bar Kokhba (“Son
of the Star”), was one such man, although the details of his remarkable life and
impact are little known outside the Jewish faith. Yet the man and his
achievements are still lauded and debated today.
Author Lindsay Powell takes a balanced, critical approach to
the evidence. He visited ancient sites and uncovered long lost letters; there
is a strong sense of discovery as Powell travels through the erstwhile Holy
Land in search of his quarry. Bar Kokhba the man is revealed in these
scholarly, thoroughly researched pages. Powell effortlessly depicts the
turbulent era, with clear explanations of Hadrian’s swift rise to power,
becoming an active and popular leader, and the background and history of Judea
and the Jewish people; to this day, still a volatile part of the world.
Hadrian rebuilt the ruined Jerusalem, effectively in his own
image, at the same time overturning many of the cherished precepts of the
faith, causing resentment. Into this powder-keg, Shi’mon Ben Kosiba, a man not
without faults, appeared almost out of nowhere, as there is little surviving
biographical knowledge about him. He was swiftly accepted as the saviour of the
Jewish faith and hailed as the “King Messiah”, fermenting armed resistance
against Roman occupation. Destined to be beaten, Ben Kosiba nevertheless planted the seed that eventually led to a clarion call for the creation of a Jewish homeland. Powell also examines the aftermath of the war and its
lasting effects on Judaism, including the diaspora and the beginnings of
anti-Semitism throughout the following centuries.
Fully annotated illustrations, lush colour plates and maps
bring the era to vivid life, while a chronology charts the history up to the
modern era. There is also a section on relevant places to visit, a glossary of
terms, a list of place names, both ancient & their modern equivalent, a
bibliography and a comprehensive index. Lavishly produced with a striking
cover, this is a heavyweight volume to treasure.
In his preface, author Lindsay Powell freely admits that his book
cannot be the last word on the subject due to the limitations in the
interpretation and quality of surviving research material, but I think he is
being too modest. His book is scholarly and immensely readable; he
has reinvigorated an important historical figure for the modern age. This is
accessible history suitable for everyone; there’s even a Monty Python
reference! The mark of a good history book is how well it tells you something
you didn’t know, in which case this book is one of the best I’ve ever read.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsay Powell is a historian and writer who has a passion
for the history of the Roman Empire. He is news editor of Ancient History and
Ancient Warfare magazines. His appearances include BBC Radio, Dan Snow's
HistoryHit, and History Channel. He is the author of AUGUSTUS AT WAR, EAGER FOR
GLORY, GERMANICUS and MARCUS AGRIPPA from Pen and Sword Books. A graduate of
the University of Aston in Birmingham, he is a veteran of The Ermine Street
Guard re-enactment society. He divides his time between Austin, Texas and
Wokingham, England.
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