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Book Review by Mark Ollard To say that the stories of Arthur are enduring and popular is an understatement. Second only to Jesus as the Once and Future King, he has become iconic in english culture, and so potent was Arthurian mythos that had the elder son of Henry VII survived, he would have been crowned Arthur II. Most of us understand that Arthur's realm is no more real than Tolkein's Middle Earth, or that medieval knights in shining armour are ridiculously anachronistic in that dark age between the Roman provinces of Britannia and Anglo-Saxon Britain. One writer complained that no-one else has generated so much pointless literature. Another muses that to research Arthur is to study the history of the myth of the legend. Nonetheless people often exhibit an alarming need to find truth in stories. You need only see the hold conspiracy theories have over modern society. Chris Barber's King Arthur - A Mystery Unravelled, is another attempt to identify the man behind more than a thousand years of storytelling. The traditional connection to England is discarded and a trail of evidence is produced to show he was from Wales. This isn't the first work to support that theme, which must be said does often come across as more convincing than the usual attempts at identifying places and events. The book doesn't wait for the end of the book to conclude who Arthur was. In the very first chapter the author lists the various documented Arthur's relevant to the mythology and pulls his choice from the mix. Why this man? Well, there's another twenty chapters to expain that for us. If that sounds as if the reader should expect a detailed and convoluted argument, the reader will not be disappointed. Unravelling any coherent argument for a real Arthur requires one to wade through obscure source material, much of it unknown to the average person. Next we arrive at the door of Geoffery of Monmouth, the medieval cleric derided by his contemporaries for his outrageous writing and the man generally credited with recreating Arthur as a king of England. This is in some ways a bold step in Barber's narrative given how Geoffery was writing far more of a fantasy than history, but the important message is that Geoffery used material with far better provenance than his own, and this is a springboard to discuss the relevance of a swathe of older documents. The author spends two chapters placing Arthur in context, describing his family and relationships with better known individuals from history. Compiled from thirty years of work the information is delivered wholesale, and although broken down into themed sections, it does require some patience to finish it. We move on to subjects in following chapters concerning the misleading red herrings of Arthurian mythos, the realm that Arthur actually lived in, and significantly discusses exactly who the enemies were that Arthur fought against. The various battles said to have been won by Arthur are discussed with the same level of deliberation and research. The majority are just as difficult to place on the map as for any other writer who tries but Barber makes a fair shot of it. That last battle, Camlann, where Arthur receives his mortal wounds and abdicates gets a chapter of its own, and of course the infamous Battle of Badon Hill - the victory that supposedly secured decades of peace, also gets a chapter. Better yet, there's another chapter that looks at Arthur's campaign in Gaul, and even compares these with the sweeping tales of Geoffery of Monmouth, who claimed Arthur fought campaigns on the Roman periphery, and once, for no other reason than there wasn't anyone left to fight, took on the Roman Empire itself. Of course the author is wise enough to see the exaggeration for himself, making this book as thorough as is practical. This unravelling of the puzzle is what the book is about. We have a hero of the Dark Age who is thought to have been a tribal warlord. Or a noble King. Or a Roman Count. Or Duke. Some have even credited Arthur as Emperor. Which piece fits? What picture emerges? Here we inadvertantly stumble on perhaps the book's biggest and most subtle issue. In science, the responsible way is to gather data and derive conclusions from your findings. This book reads more like the opposite, start with a conclusion and gather evidence to prove it, which in science has caused more wrong conclusions than anything else. Maybe this is unintentionally harsh - after all complete evidence is not possible, the source material fanciful and inconsistent, or even completely invented. What you will find is a book that is serious about the conclusion it describes. Patriotic or personal, the authors passion is obvious, but I note the absence of distractions which detract from objectivity, a very difficult accomplishment when discussing a legend. The style is sraightforward and the book has a number of colour photographs and illustations that are both contextual and conform to the atmosphere of the subject. For all that is good about this book there is something uncomfortable about it. An origin outside of England isn't so hard to accept, but the native welsh names lend an almost alien quality, and in fact the publishers of Chris Barber's previous book on this theme had asked him to anglicise names for that very reason. He was right to refuse, but the issue remains, made worse by the mismatch of latin and welsh names even between brothers. Perhaps more insidious is the love of mystery. As much as we are fascinated by the debate, how many will prefer the legend to the rather understated Welshman we are introduced to? One cannot help wondering how this man spawned the inflated romances of the Middle Ages, never mind our modern obsessions. ...more Book Reviews! The Second Jewish Revolt by Menahem Mor Remus : A Roman Myth by T. P. Wiseman Beginnings Of Rome by Tj Cornells Has Chris Barber won noble victory in his quest for the real Arthur? No, but he returns to Camelot with honour intact, and a book that for all its faults contains important messages for those delving into the darkness of early medieval Britain. This is a work of flawed excellence. Great for Dark Age information, insight, and debate - but Arthur? You'll have to decide that yourself. Chris Barber is a well-established author with thirty one books published to date. They cover such subjects as mountaineering, industrial archaeology, prehistoric standing stones, and the mysteries and legends of Wales. His skills as a photographer are widely acknowledged and his illustrated lectures are very popular. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was awarded the MBE for ‘Services to the Community and Tourism’ in the 2008 New Year’s Honours list. His many interests and achievements have also been recognised by an entry in ‘Who’s Who in the World’. Tell us your opinion - Submit your Review - Buy the book! Book Review of King Arthur: The Mystery Unravelled - Related Topic: Roman Emperor List Bibliography Get it now! King Arthur for the UK ________________________________ Archive

Book Review by Christina Szilagyi Mark Tedesco’s I am John, I am Paul gives life to a story about which little is known: who were the men to whom the Basilica of John and Paul are dedicated? The story is told as a memoir from John’s point of view, as the story of his life in the legions, how he came to his relationship with Paul, and how they came to practice Christianity. The style is conversational and straightforward, with notations about the Latin meanings as needed. These notations alternate between footnotes and parenthetical asides, the latter tending to draw the reader out of the story, but they are useful for one not versed in Roman history. The story begins with John’s childhood on a farm and his desire to become a soldier, then moves (too) quickly to his adulthood and time in the legions. There, John and Paul meet and become fast friends. They find themselves pitted against their commander, Terentianus, who is inept, at best, and is threatened by the two men’s competency and popularity within the legion. They are separated, John to Alexandria and Paul to Gaul and, eventually, Rome. John feels isolated in Alexandria, but eventually, via his devotion to Mithras, finds a way to be assigned to Rome. From Rome, he and Paul are assigned to fight in Germania with Constantine. Without giving away plot points, this is, eventually, how they come to be given a large house in Rome, which will later become the location of the basilica. The totality of the relationship between John and Paul is never made particularly clear; at one point, Paul is asked if they are “‘bound to one another in the way of the Greeks?’” to which he responds “‘The bond between us is greater than Greek or Roman.’” The reader is never explicitly told if they are lovers or friends, but in the end, it does not matter. This serves to make a point as they convert to the new religion: the nature of their relationship is never an issue as they are welcomed into the community, thus making indicating that such things were irrelevant in the early Christian community, and that they should be so in the modern. Throughout the text, Tedesco details some of the elements of legionary life: training, the elements of battle, the boredom of guard duty, and, particularly, the habits of the Mithraic Cult. Our narrator’s devotion to Mithras is reinforced throughout the book, offering an interesting point of opposition to his eventual conversion to Christianity. Both John and Paul begin as devotees of Mithras, but Paul often comes across as being Christian before he knows what Christianity is. At one point early in the story, he gives his entire pay to a fellow legionary who is in need, not being concerned with his own needs. He often expresses a desire to help those around them who are lacking, and so when he is introduced to the idea of fellowship in Christianity, exemplified by a charity house being run by local Christians in Rome, he is immediately attracted to it. Both men learn about the religion from a friend of John’s sister and from their slave, but while Paul begins to embrace it, John becomes distant and angry with his friend, seemingly jealous of Paul’s devotion and fearful of breaking their dedication to Mithras. This is another point where the author moves far too quickly, telling, rather than showing his reader about these events; however, his point about how Christianity could break relationships in its early years is well made. The men do not become Christian until nearly the end of the book, and the subsequent years they spend as leaders in their local Christian community are glossed over. Within these years, the death of Constantine and the subsequent upheaval at the hands of his three sons and successors is mentioned, but is only relevant in the context of how it brings Julian to the throne. There are two villains in this book: the first is Terentianus and the second is Julian. While the former has a personal hatred for John and Paul, the latter is portrayed as hating all Christians, and thereby hating all they (and John and Paul) stand for. The two men together create the situation that leads to John and Paul being martyred, which makes them less villains and more enactors of God’s will. After all, without Judas, there is no Good Friday, and without Good Friday, there can be no Easter and no Christianity. The same is true of these villains: without them, the Basilica of John and Paul is never built, and this story is never told. Overall, the book is reminiscent of Lloyd Douglas’ The Robe or Henryk Sienkiewicz’s Quo Vadis, books whose intent is reinforce the faith of the reader or to inspire readers to become Christian. While I cannot comment on its effectiveness in this, I can say it was an interesting read. ...more Book Reviews! Rubicon, The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland Ghosts of Vesuvius by Charles R. Pellegrino The Venus Throw by Steven Saylor Mark Tedesco is a published author and history teacher in Los Angeles. He was born in California but lived for many years in Europe. There he developed a unique perspective which is apparent in his teaching and writing. Besides writing, Mark's passions run the gamut from archeology to sports and fitness. His colleagues consider to him to be somewhat of a Renaissance man. He enjoys imparting to his students his thirst for life and happiness. This thirst, or quest, is apparent in every work Mark devotes himself to. After eight years of research, Mark's work of historical fiction draws the reader into an experience of Ancient Rome. "I am John, I am Paul: A Story of Two Soldiers in Ancient Rome." The mysterious bond between the two soldiers is intertwined with the historical events of the 4th century. Tell us your opinion - Submit your Review - Buy the book! Book Review of I am John I am Paul: A Story of Two Soldiers in Ancient Rome - Related Topic: Roman Religion Bibliography Get it now! I am John I am Paul for the UK ________________________________ Archive

Book Review by Alex Johnston Okay, so maybe I’m not the best person to be reviewing this book. It’s written for young readers, which is a group that I’m definitely not a member of. I’m much closer to life’s second round of diapering than to its first! But tough titties, as we used to say when I was a member of that age cohort. I read it, I enjoyed it, and now I’m gonna review it! And anyway, as my wife likes to point out, I’ve got a lot of twelve-year old in me! This book reminded me of the adventures contained in the pages of the Scholastic Book Club books that I devoured as a wee lad. Of course, I don’t really remember any of those books. But it was the feeling! And this book has all of those elements – smart, brave young protagonists, exotic locales, appropriately sanitized villains, and, most of all, adventure! Oh – and crocodiles. Marcus and Callie, brother and sister, are orphans – their parents were lost at sea. But luckily for them, their uncle, a standard bearer for the 22nd legion, took them under his wing, and introduced them to his extended “family” – the century with which he served. The story begins in Alexandria, Egypt. Turbo, the prefect (governor) of Egypt needs money. Alexandria was suffering the ravages of war, and the treasury was empty. Turbo was intent on raising the necessary funds to restore the city to its previous glory and settled on the perfect fundraising solution – locate an as-of-yet-un-looted pyramid, and commence to looting it. Why doesn’t everybody think of that? Marcus, who wants nothing more than to join his uncle in the legion, is raring to go, frantically hoping to be invited along. And Callie, a brilliant young scholar, is more interested in ancient religions and hieroglyphics than in gold, and she too is excited to make the journey. But, as we all know, looting pyramids can be dangerous work! Who in their right mind wants a couple of kids tagging along? So, the usual reluctance is in evidence. But the soldiers trying to keep our heroes from joining the expedition are forgetting three important facts: 1. It’s a kid’s book, so the soldiers will inevitably fail in their attempts to make the kids stay home 2. It’s a kid’s book, so the soldiers will inevitably realize that Marcus and Callie are smarter than they are, and 3. It’s a kid’s book, so when it’s all said and done, they’ll all agree that it’s a good thing that Marcus and Callie came along, otherwise they would’ve never found the damned treasure! (Oops – did I give it away? Uh, that is, I mean, if they did end up finding the treasure they would agree that it was due to Marcus’ and Callie’s help. Hypothetically, speaking of course. In theory. Maybe, maybe not). Jeez, adults can be so dense sometimes! Why do you always have to explain the simplest things to them? Over and over again! There’s history to be learned in these pages, whatever the age group! Turney does a great job of portraying the devastation of Alexandria vis-à-vis the glories that the city previously manifested. In one section of the book, he describes a scene where the children are passing the crumbled ruins of the home where they used to live. Marcus was saddened, but Callie looked on with interest – she was always trying to gain knowledge from every situation she encountered. The author then moves directly to a description of the library of Alexandria and its destruction. Turney, the author of the Marius Mules series, brings his talent for character development to this book, but in a manner designed with the younger reader in mind. The children’s uncle was a standard bearer for his century, and the strenuous nature of that position, “lugging the heavy standard around,” is aptly portrayed. Prefect Turbo reminded Marcus of “one of the scraggy black vultures that they often saw circling in the clear blue Egyptian skies. … [He] sat hunched over his desk, his neck craned and his head snapping back and forth as he worked.” Senex, the oldest man in the unit, had been a priest trainee, but he could no longer read, because his eyes gave him woe. He only had a few teeth left, and had to gum his food. The only part of his portrayal that I didn’t like was where the author described him as nearer sixty than fifty, which sounds suspiciously like he’s saying that the half-blind, toothless old man was younger than me! Given my vibrancy, intelligence, and youthful good looks, this clearly couldn’t be the case, and I’m surprised that an author of Turney’s talent would make such an obvious mistake! So there! Wait – what was I just talking about? I forget. What’s that you say?!? Speak up, dag nab it! And bring me my walker, goddamn you, or I’ll beat you with my cane! Speaking of old farts, my favorite character was the ancient Egyptian that they forced to accompany the group from Alexandria. I wonder if you’ll feel the same. Remains to be seen, I guess. Anyway, give it a read, and if you’re a mature, dignified adult like me, just don’t tell anybody you read it and nobody will be the wiser. Better yet, buy it for your kids, and sneak it away while they’re sleeping. Just remember to put it back before they wake up! Man, writing book reviews is hard work! I need a drink. Bartender, bring me a hot chocolate, heavy on the marshmallows. Make it a double, and if you spill any on my jammies there’ll be hell to pay! PS – the illustrations are fantastic! ...more Book Reviews! Roman Empire And The Silk Road by Raoul McLoughlin Release Your Inner Roman by Jerry Toner Great Battles of the Classical Greek World by Owen Rees Simon Turney lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire, where he sits in an office, wired on coffee and digestive biscuits, and attempts to spin engrossing tales out of strands of imagination while his children drive toys across his desk and two dogs howl as they try to share a brain cell. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously. Alex Johnston is the author of several fiction books about Marcus Mettius, a minor character in Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War. Marcus brings a salesman's amused and worldly perspective to the major characters, locales, and events of the late Roman Republic period. I think he's a hoot, and I hope that you will as well! The Marcus Mettius titles are Caesar's Ambassador,Caesar's Emissary, Caesar's Daughter, a compilation of those three stories, and Caesar's Lictor. Marcus likes a good joke and prefers wits to weapons in dealing with tricky situations. He parties with Gauls and Alexandrians, hangs out with slaves and freedmen, and counts Julius Caesar among his friends. Tell us your opinion - Submit your Review - Buy the book! Book Review of Crocodile Legion: A Roman Adventure - Related Topic: Bibliography Get it now! Crocodile Legion for the UK ________________________________ Archive