Many of the ancient historians are absolute musts. I wasn't much interested in a Roman-Jew's account of Romanised Judea, but I found it in a 2nd hand shop, a fabulous folio edition in pristine condition so of course I made love to it on the bookshop floor and then ran home screaming joy.

The reward was unexpected.

If you've seen "I, Claudius" (BBC) or read the book (Robert Graves), then there's your comparison; Life of Herod reads like 'I, Herod' in that it too is a culminating tangle of Sopranos-like family intrigues.

"Friends, I'm hitting the road but if anything happens to me, don't forget to put my beloved wife and mother in law to the sword. Oh and don't tell me wife I left you these instructions, she'll be really mad..."

There's nothing much about battles, details wise, but enough about Mark Antony, Cleopatra (who comes on to Herod at one point, probably because he had an appendage and a pulse. And power). Also Agrippa, the Caesars and of course, all kinds of zealots at cross purposes. Ancient history is old school fun.
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