NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.

Book Review: A Temple In Flames by Gershon Bar-Cochva and Ahron Horovitz

Before I even get to the review, I want to say one musing I had the moment I picked up the book in my hands.. a book written about the destruction of Jerusalem, written by an author named "Bar-Cochva", is priceless.

And now on to the review...

I was very excited to receive this book, A Temple in Flames, by Gershon Bar-Cochva and Aharon Horovitz. I know the basic story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Most of what I know is from a combination of Gemara, Talmudic sources, and a bit of Josephus that I have read over the years.

I never even thought that a battle waged 2000 or so years ago would have so much detail about ti recorded and available for study.

A Temple In Flames tells the story of the conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. In great detail. Bar Cochva is a military historian who has focused in his career on the Roman army and more specifically on their war against the Jews and Judea. Bar Cochva tells this story brilliantly.

A Temple in Flames is more than just a history book - when you read it, you feel like you are part of the story. he relates the history not as cold historical details, but as a story being lived. He describes the moves of the Roman army, the rebelliousness of the jewish factions, and how they fought each other until they got together to fight the Romans out of necessity. He talks about the type of weaponry used in the times, along with other factoids about tools and equipment used by those ancient armies.

And it is fascinating. I was fascinated by the level of detail I never realized was known. I was fascinated by the analysis of the military strategy, as he explains how the different army divisions approached from different directions, how the Jewish rebels held them off for so long, and how ultimately the Romans succeeded in breaking through.

It was enlightening to learn so much more of a story I thought I already knew, and to find out how little about it I really knew. I think A Temple In Flames should be required reading in Jewish day schools everywhere, as part of a Jewish history class.


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NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.