Judaea (3)

Into my third year, accompanied by two guardsmen, I traveled
to Lake Kinneret . On duty we planned to make our way clear
up to the border of the Province of Syria. Though I had been
down to Jerusalem, into Judea, and also into Samaria, I hadn't
done much traveling across Galilee.

Riding alongside this great lake, I was struck by the beauty of
its shoreline. Whereas the middle part of Galilee was rocky,
here we found gentle rolling hills dipping down to the shore.
The flowers and trees just made this place simply gorgeous.
The mists over the lake, as well as the rising moon and stars
at night, made this reflective lake seem almost mystical.

But it proved to be a very long journey by horseback. When
we finally reached the city of Tiberias, our small party was
very much exhausted. Nearby was the town of Hamat, well
known for its hot mineral springs. I suggested we make a stop
and heal ourselves. My two guardsmen were delighted and
thought me to be a splendid fellow! Actually my forty-year-old
body was no longer as vigorous as it once was in my younger
days. I needed a break after so much time in the saddle.

While there I got into a conversation with some citizens from
Tiberias, an old city built almost a century back by Herod Antipas.
Much to my surprise, they told me that there still remained a
fair sized Jewish population in Tiberias. After the destruction
of Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin--the court of Jewish judges--had
fled to Tiberias. Now, years later, Tiberias had become a place
of religious learning for some Jews.

For a Speculator responsible for information-gathering, I
certainly was negligent in this case! Of course my interest in
various religious cults wasn't very significant to the Imperial
Service, unless it involved revolts. Still I was astounded about
some Jews still residing in Tiberias.

After the restful baths in Hamat, we rode on up near the Syria
border--and I happened upon the small fishing village of
Capernaum. I remembered from John's little book (that I bought
in Ephesus) that the Christus once made his home here. Again
I found a few Jews still living there, as their synagogue appeared
to be in active use. Asking around about Christus, no one seemed
to know much of anything about him.

It was somewhat sad, in that this great man--worshiped by others
as a god-man--seemed not to have made much of a mark in his own
home territory. Than again, he lived and taught there almost one
hundred years ago. The years roll by, centuries pass, and we humans
have a tendency to forget. As I left Capernaum I had to consider
that even here yet another ghost was walking in this land!

Months later my replacement arrived in Caesarea. At last I was
nearing the end of my assignment in Judaea. After familiarizing the
new senior officer, I had a trick up my sleeve. Before returning to
Rome, I had one last place I wanted to see--Masada! Taking some
furlough I joined a patrol of Fretensis legionaries heading over
into the desert towards Lake Asphalt. This was the only safe way
to travel in these regions. One could not travel alone, nor even with
my two usual guardsmen. This desert was oft full of unfriendly
nomadic tribes who would as soon kill you, before they looked
at you!