Tiberius Julius Alexander: A Historical Novel

Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. I came across the title, Tiberius Julius Alexander: A Historical Novel Kindle by Daniel M Friedenberg, purchased it, and read it through in the course of researching a novel of my own on the title character's uncle, the famed Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, Philo Judaeus. I don't fancy myself an expert on either the characters or the period the 1st Century AD , but I've read just about as much as I could take on the people and the era.

All this to say that I can vouch for the veracity of the history, as much as it is known, presented by Friedenburg in the book. He remains true to preserved history even while he allows his imagination and literary license to pump details into the life of the people he writes about. The protagonist, Tiberius Julius Alexander, would perhaps have been completely lost among the better known persona of the 1st Century, Roman and Jewish, had he not been connected in an unusual way to both the Roman imperial establishment and the wealthiest and most powerful Jewish family in the city of Alexandria, Egypt.

That he rejected his Jewish roots and became not only an apostate but an enemy of the Jewish people is his claim to infamy. He held the position of procurator of Judea some years after Pontius Pilate occupied that position and also ordered the crucifixion of Galilean rebels against the Roman state. Later, he was an adjutant to Vespasian and Titus, on hand at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. As such, he is an appropriate foil to the usual characters featured from this period Caligula, Nero, Herod Agrippa, Paul, etc.

So kudos to this first-time novelist. Anyone interesting in broadening their perspective on the 1st century, one somewhat similar to the Jewish historian Josephus, another defector to the Roman cause, will find this book enjoyable, informational and well-researched. Lack of technique here and there, as noted by other reviewers, is quite tolerable in my opinion. I bought this book because I was interested in more information about the little known character and story of Tiberius Julius Alexander.

I find the book to be very well-written, easy to read and follow and offering a interesting perspective of the character of Tiberius Julius Alexander. If you read it as a novel, it is a pleasant read and a well-worded one. If you are interested in more information about the historical figure of Tiberius Alexander, it will give you useful information, a useful perspective, it will allow you to place it in some context, which seems well-researched and easily presented. All in all, an interesting narrative and useful for me as a research read. One person found this helpful. Tiberius Julius Alexander by Daniel M.

Friedenberg may be more interesting to one new to the history.

Tiberius Julius Alexander : a historical novel

The story line is a retired intellectual being called to St Catherine Monastery at Mt Sinai to translate a manuscript found within the walls, literally, of the monastery written in Greek Koine. The manuscript is an autobiographical history of an Alexandrian born Jew, Tiberius Julius Alexander, whom rose to Roman prestige through honorable duty to various emperors, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian and others between Nero and Vespasian.

He was at the second Temple Judean revolt. The manuscript is the chronological history from his birth, loosing faith, becoming a respectable Roman commander and his struggle with faith and eventually finding his meaning of life. In the end Tiberius Julius Alexander and the translator have much in common questioning and accepting their Epicurean leanings. The books ending is compelling, but this reader had difficulty following the narrative.

This reader allows a little latitude in that the thrust of the book is a translation of a Greek language manuscript. The final chapter's narrative is flowing and easily read. Therefore, we assume the manuscript translation is not as free-flowing for being a translation. The book is a quick, short read with a lot of Greek, Roman, Judean history shallowly touched upon. That doesn't mean it isn't worth the read for the history contained, it is. I'm interested in this forgotten historical character, the nephew of Philo of Alexandria, who was essentially responsible for one of the earliest pogroms and also essentially responsible for the destruction of the temple.

• Les Regrets (GF Etonnants classiques) (French Edition).
• Say not the Struggle Naught Availeth.
• Rockstar Ghost PG-13 Version?
• Product details.
• Editorial Reviews!
• Navigation menu?
• The Treebobs and Air Rena: Air Rena.

Talk about a self-hating Jew. The author's writing is unremarkable but good enough.

• The Demon in the Teahouse.
• Little Essays of Love and Virtue.
• General Knowledge Quiz Questions And Answers (Vol. 16)?
• Open Library!
• How to Stain and Polish Your Wooden Furniture - French Polishing, Staining, Waxing, Oiling and How to Fix Faults and Mistakes.
• ;
• One Lonely Degree;

What's is remarkable is that the author attempted to offer a soothing justification for one of the most horrible persons in history. See all 5 reviews. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Learn more about Amazon Prime.

See a Problem?

Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Vespasian moved rapidly to Egypt, leaving the Jewish war under the command of Titus. At the same time Alexander, as a proven commander with experience of Jewish affairs, was sent by Vespasian to join Titus as his chief of staff and adviser, second only to Titus himself.

Alexander, the offspring of a pious Jewish family, whose own father had donated the gold and silver for the Temple gates, [24] now found himself in a position of command against his former brothers in that very sanctuary. Despairing of any siege operation against the Temple's massive walls, Titus had the gates burnt down. At the ensuing council of war, when it was debated whether to destroy the entire Temple, Alexander voted with the majority who favored preservation. The Temple was consumed by the flames.

By this time, Vespasian's position in Rome was secure.

Tiberius Julius Alexander: A Historical Novel

The details of Alexander's career under the new emperor remain unclear. A damaged papyrus refers to Alexander as holding the position of " Praetorian Prefect ", which is open to two interpretations. It could indicate his rank during Titus' campaign in 70, which would mean that he held his own independent imperium commanding authority. According to another view, it means that he became Prefect of the Praetorian Guard at Rome, which in later years became a common position for former Prefects of Egypt. The xenophobic speaker of Juvenal 's first Satire , composed in the late 1st or early in the 2nd century AD, complains of passing the Forum 's triumphal statues, "where some Egyptian Arabarch's had the nerve to set up his titles.

At his image it's right to do more than piss! From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Journal of Roman Studies.

• Tiberius Julius Alexander;
• Follow the Author.
• Del territorio a la nación. Identidades territoriales y construcción nacional (Spanish Edition)?
• The Hope of Glory - Exceeding Expectations?
• Mounting Up With Wings Like an Eagle!

Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. The Jews of Egypt: The End of a Dynasty pbk. A Sourcebook on Roman History: According to Tacitus and Suetonius it was only several days later that Vespasian's own troops took the oath in his presence; Josephus disagrees. Josephus , Antiquities Tiberius Iulius Alexander in German.

On the father of Tiberius Julius Alexander.

Of Scribes and Scrolls: University Press of America. In Isidore Singer ; et al. Retrieved from " https: Views Read Edit View history.

Tiberius Julius Alexander: A Historical Novel by Daniel M. Friedenberg

This page was last edited on 13 July , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. He gave the men leave not merely to kill them but also to plunder their property and burn down their houses. The soldiers rushed into the area called Delta where the Jews were concentrated, and proceeded to carry out their orders, but not without bloodshed on their own side; for the Jews stood shoulder to shoulder with their most heavily armed men in front and held their ground magnificently, but when once the line gave they were destroyed wholesale.

Death came upon them in every form; some were overtaken in the open, others driven into their houses, which the Romans first looted and then burnt down.

They felt no pity for infants, no respect for the aged; old and young were slaughtered right and left, so that the whole district was deluged with blood and 50, corpses were heaped up: Procurator of Judea c. Prefect of Aegyptus 66—