10-09-2012, 02:43 AM
Hello everyone!
After two years of research on first-century Judaism for the upcoming film, Isaac the Roman, I am beginning the second phase of research which delves deep into the world of those crazy, meddling Romans. Setting the stage for the opening act, the Siege of Jerusalem, I have the basics down.
One thing I learned in the last go-round is that forum enthusiasts often know this stuff better than university professors. Not to denigrate scholars with letters after their names – I have great respect for them. It’s a little nugget of knowledge I picked up from my years as a World of Warcraft aficionado. People who are passionate about a particular subject and gather in forums to discuss the details tend to check each other (often in creative ways) and in a sense that is the ultimate form of peer-review.
That said, back to the story.
69-70 CE: Nero is dead. Two men clamor for the Emperorship and are handily dispatched leaving the military to install Vespasian as Emperor. Titus is left in charge in the Judean theatre. Joined by V Macedonica, X Fretensis, XII Fulminata and XV Apollinaris, Titus digs in. Stealing a page out the playbook of Caesar’s sacking of Alesia, he sets up a blockage siege but ups the ante by allowing Passover celebrants into the city and then shutting the doors putting pressure on the city resources. We all know what happens next.
Here’s my question: One of the three main characters in the film is a centurion called, Quintus. He is highly decorated and has been with V Macedonica for 25 years and, after a successful skirmish in Sepphoris, is on his way to Caesarea Maritima to get his honorable discharge papers and a nice plot of land in hillsides north of Rome. In short, and without giving too much away, he is intercepted by one of Titus’ officers and sent back to Emmaus to prepare for the siege.
1) Does anyone know of a case where an officer was just “too good to let go” even after serving his time?
2) The story calls for Quintus, an equestrian, to take charge of the entire legion. Is this too far-fetched?
3) Most importantly, I have yet to discover how generals bandied about with distance communication. Did they send runners? Who were the messengers? Were they cavalry?
Thanks much for any help! I am really enjoying the process of researching this part of the story but a lot of holes need to be filled. I hope you’ll be patient with a noob as I expect I’ll be posting here from time-to-time as I hammer out the script.
As a side note, I will be mentioning this forum in the closing credits of the film. THanks again, guys!
- John
After two years of research on first-century Judaism for the upcoming film, Isaac the Roman, I am beginning the second phase of research which delves deep into the world of those crazy, meddling Romans. Setting the stage for the opening act, the Siege of Jerusalem, I have the basics down.
One thing I learned in the last go-round is that forum enthusiasts often know this stuff better than university professors. Not to denigrate scholars with letters after their names – I have great respect for them. It’s a little nugget of knowledge I picked up from my years as a World of Warcraft aficionado. People who are passionate about a particular subject and gather in forums to discuss the details tend to check each other (often in creative ways) and in a sense that is the ultimate form of peer-review.
That said, back to the story.
69-70 CE: Nero is dead. Two men clamor for the Emperorship and are handily dispatched leaving the military to install Vespasian as Emperor. Titus is left in charge in the Judean theatre. Joined by V Macedonica, X Fretensis, XII Fulminata and XV Apollinaris, Titus digs in. Stealing a page out the playbook of Caesar’s sacking of Alesia, he sets up a blockage siege but ups the ante by allowing Passover celebrants into the city and then shutting the doors putting pressure on the city resources. We all know what happens next.
Here’s my question: One of the three main characters in the film is a centurion called, Quintus. He is highly decorated and has been with V Macedonica for 25 years and, after a successful skirmish in Sepphoris, is on his way to Caesarea Maritima to get his honorable discharge papers and a nice plot of land in hillsides north of Rome. In short, and without giving too much away, he is intercepted by one of Titus’ officers and sent back to Emmaus to prepare for the siege.
1) Does anyone know of a case where an officer was just “too good to let go” even after serving his time?
2) The story calls for Quintus, an equestrian, to take charge of the entire legion. Is this too far-fetched?
3) Most importantly, I have yet to discover how generals bandied about with distance communication. Did they send runners? Who were the messengers? Were they cavalry?
Thanks much for any help! I am really enjoying the process of researching this part of the story but a lot of holes need to be filled. I hope you’ll be patient with a noob as I expect I’ll be posting here from time-to-time as I hammer out the script.
As a side note, I will be mentioning this forum in the closing credits of the film. THanks again, guys!
- John
