In a book with cover art showing The Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and a map of 1st century Judea, Sorek (ancient history, Lampeter U., Open U., Wales) discusses the factors culminating in the revolts in Palestine, destruction of the First Temple, and Jewish mass suicide at Masada. Drawing primarily (but not uncritically) from the eyewitness accounts of Jewish-Roman historian Flavius Josephus, and secondarily on archeological evidence (pictured), she argues that the equation of Rome with the Evil Kingdom of biblical prophecy of the messianic end-of-days ignited the conflict brewing from economic conditions, internal friction between the Zealots and Hellenized Jews, and ideological tensions between the Jews and Romans. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)