Christopher D. Stanley, "A Ram for Mars" (NFB Publishing, 2026)

About this episode

Christopher D. Stanley discusses his book 'A Ram for Mars', exploring the complexities of loyalty and rebellion in ancient Israel.

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer? In A Ram for Mars (NFB Publishing, 2026), Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy. ​Marcus, who grew up in a Roman colony and owes his present prosperity to a Roman master, finds these anti-Roman sentiments perplexing. His uncertainty increases when war breaks out and he's asked to ship supplies to the rebel army, including a newfound cousin who protects the northern front. As his entanglement with the rebellion deepens, Marcus is torn between loyalty to the world in which he was nurtured and the need to secure his family's safety. Then his adopted son runs off to join the rebels. What is he to do? Fans of Conn Iggulden, Ken Follett, and Robert Graves will be captivated by this richly detailed and compelling exploration of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66-73…

People in this episode

Host: Marshall Poe

Guest: Christopher D. Stanley

Topics covered

• Jewish revolt against Rome
• social and political unrest
• historical fiction
• early Christianity
• Roman influence
• family loyalty

Keywords

• rebellion
• anti-Roman
• historical narrative
• Marcus and Miriam
• social history
• Greco-Roman world

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NFB Publishing

Books & works: A Ram for Mars

Places: Israel, Asia Minor, Galilee

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