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Syria are the defence buffer between us and our age old foe who”, he added sombrely “has never been defeated in battle”.
    â€œWell Centurion”, replied Neopolitanus, “If a treaty between Roman and Jew is one of mutual self-interest, why do we have endless problems with these people? Why do they not accept the benefits and advantages of the Roman way of life, the protection of Roman armies, Roman law, enjoy Roman culture and the freedom to worship their own Gods?”
    Crassus grimaced. “Well we cannot impose our way of life on this stiff necked people. Pompey tried and failed. The Jews are racially prejudiced. We can either accept that and work with it or” he added ominously, “we can wipe the lot out”.
    â€œOr” Neapolitanus said “we display the good side of Roman life and hope it will gradually be accepted for its own sake.” Wiping crumbs from his lips Neopolitanus stood up. “Come. Show me the defences of the city. The Legate recommended the top of the Antonia as a viewing point”.
    â€œAgreed”, said Crassus, “but I will need time to change. I am due back on duty”.
    In the early evening, the two men stood on top of the Antonia’s highest tower, Crassus in full armour. From the pinnacle on which they stood, the city was laid out like a map. Crassus remained silent to allow Neopolitanus to take in the splendour that was at their feet. It was Neopolitanus who broke the silence. Speaking more to himself than to his companion, he said “Perhaps it is impregnable”.
    â€œAs you can see” said Crassus “the city, like Rome, is built on a series of hills. Where it differs” he continued “is that unlike Rome, it is protected on three sides by the deep ravines the Jews call Gehenna and Kidron”. Neopolitanus stared down into what seemed a bottomless abyss. Crassus continued “You will notice that the valleys are devoid of all vegetation. The sides are bare rock, which is so steep as to be unclimbable”.
    â€œThat” replied Neopolitanus wryly “is why they build their walls along the edges”.
    Crassus pointed to one of the hills. “That is the Upper City, known as the Upper Market. The second hill is the Citadel and is covered by the Lower City. The opposite part of the city”, he continued pointing to a third hill, “was originally cut off by a wide ravine. During the Hasmonaean period, this was filled in and as you can see it joins the city to the Temple. The Jews call this area the Valley of the Cheese Makers”. “But the walls”, said Neopolitanus in a hushed voice, “what walls! They seem to rise up from Hades itself and brush the very heavens with their towers and fortresses”.
    â€œIt’s the walls, their fortified towers and massive fortresses, which make this place an invading army’s nightmare”. Crassus chuckled, but there was no mirth in it. “There are three walls, one behind the other, with over a hundred towers spaced along them and as you have observed, the walls are unassailable because they are on the rims of bottomless ravines”.
    â€œHow on earth did the Jews get all that masonry of such Herculean sizes to this place?” asked Neopolitanus.
    â€œThey didn’t”, his companion replied. “They dug most of the city out of the ground. Jerusalem stands on limestone the Jews call travertine. When it is in the ground, it is soft and easily worked. However, when it is exposed to air, it becomes very hard, almost impossible to cut. As a result of their excavations the Jews got a bonus. The city stands on cisterns which hold millions of gallons of water. They also have underground caverns containing several years’ supply of grain and oil, and every other kind of material necessary to not only sustain life, but supply a defending army with all its needs”.
    Neopolitanus shook his head in amazement before