The Forts of Judea 168 BC-AD 73

Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4,

The Forts of Judea 168 BC-AD 73
Author: Samuel Rocca
Paperback - 64 pages
Publisher: Osprey
Series: Fortress 65
Price: £11.99
ISBN: 9781846031717

The book

In the introduction the author dealt briefly with the historical time line, including the exile to Babylon, independence, Jewish Roman wars, civil wars and Masada.

A large chapter is dedicated to the design and development of the fortification structures, with distinction between the Hasmonaean and Herodian fortification. It is emphasized that the Hasmonaean fortifications are largely based on the 168BC -135BC Ptolemaic and Seleucid fortifications, as the armies were small and mobile, with no funds available for garrison duty. The author dealt with the evolution and function of these structures, and also discussed the general design and function of the city walls (including the walls of Jerusalem), towers and gateways as well as forts and watchtowers. I found the explanation of the change in design and building materials, related to improved weaponry and war tactics especially fascinating. Historical examples of these structures were also included.

A similar general, more extensive outlay was followed in the discussion of the Herodian fortifications, including an indication of how a change in the political climate at the time led to expansion of the kingdom and the need for more and dif ferent fortifications. City walls (including the three walls of Jerusalem), gateways, fortified palaces, multi-storey towers, forts, fortlets and new cities were discussed, with reference to the structure, different variation in design, functionality and use in peace and war times. Examples of these different structures were also given and briefly discussed.

A brief tour of the sites, which are not all accessible to the public, included Hasmonaean fortifications such as Alexandrium and Herodian fortifications such as Herodium, Horvat'Eleq and an extended section on Masada. This section included numerous colour plates, photographs and diagrams, to bring the sites to life. Special attention was also given to the nature of the water supply in the different sites, The section on the living sites highlighted the general composition and make up of the Hasmonaean and Herodian army, both of which preferred an offensive approach and consisted of light and heavy cavalry and infantry. A strong Roman influence was visible in the light and heavy infantry of the Herodian army. The standing army was expanded in the time of Herod and consisted of ...........?

Pic 5, Pic 6, Pic 7, Pic 8,

Conclusion

In conclusion, I found this book an extremely difficult read, possible partly due to my lack of knowledge on this subject, but also due to the author's clear love and enthusiasm for the subject, which lead to inclusion of numerous facts in a single paragraph. I found myself rereading several sections and also going back to previous pages. That said, the author c learly has an extensive knowledge on the subject, and the content is well organised and well illustrated by numerous photographs, diagrams and colour plates. Although I would not recommend this book as a light read for everybody, this book will be very helpful and insightful for anybody studying this time period in the Judean history.

My thanks to Osprey for providing the review sample.

For full information on all Osprey Publishing titles, please see their website: Osprey Publishing