From the Archives of the Seleucia Times :

a.d. VII Kal. Jan. DCCCXXI

SPECIAL EDITION ROMAN ENVOYS CALL AT SELEUCIA PIERIA KING OF JUDAEA AND LEGIONARY LEGATE T. FLA. VESPASIANUS ON SPECIAL MISSION FLOODING UNDERMINES TENEMENT, LVII DEAD Towards the tenth hour yesterday, the brightly painted and aptly named Roman liburna Syriana, carrying His Highness M. Julius Agrippa II, King of Judaea, and Titus Flavius Vespasianus, eldest son of General Vespasianus, the Emperor’s envoy in Judaea, sailed into the harbour to the sound of horns, trumpets and tambourines. The city’s magistrates were on hand to welcome the distinguished travellers as they disembarked for a III-day stopover. Archon Eurymedon presented a wreath of laurels to the Jewish king (right) and to General Vespasianus’ son before leading them to the bouleterion for the official welcome and banquet. A holiday of two days has been declared to mark the occasion. The Syriana arrives from Caesarea Maritima on a mission to Rome. The Times has learned that the two travellers and their escort constitute an official embassy to present their allegiances to the new emperor, Servius Sulpicius Galba, on behalf respectively of the Jewish House of the Herods and the legions in the East. General Vespasianus’ son does in fact hold command of the legio XV Apollinaris. The fact that the General has waited until now to send a message of loyalty to the new Emperor, plus the presence of the King of Judaea in person, has sparked rumours that there is more to the mission than ordinary protocol. However, a source close to the envoys denies any secret agenda. “His Highness was very close to divus Claudius and the previous Imperial family,” said the source who wishes to remain anonymous, “it is therefore normal for him to go in person to present his respects to the new emperor.” INCESTUOUS ROMANCE ? More than the embassy to Rome, the conspicuous absence of Julia Berenice, Princess of Judaea and sister of the king, has been the subject of much speculation and controversy in market-places and taverns. For several years, the Princess’ close relationship with her brother has been regarded as incestuous. The twice-widowed Berenice’s third marriage - to the nondescript ‘king’ of Olbia, a city in Cilicia - ended abruptly after only a few months when the Princess returned home to her palace (cont’d on page two) Above, legionary legate Titus, eldest son of General Vespasianus A three-storey building in the neighbourhood of Dioskouroi Lane in the Upper City collapsed in late evening of the Ides of December. LVII persons, mostly children, died from injuries. Despite an urgent appeal to evacuate the premices published by local senator Philip Bakheshar, families residing in the building had not yet moved out. The collapse is directly linked to the flooding of a nearby stream after three days of heavy rains earlier this month. Repeated flooding over several years had weakened the foundations of the building which housed XXXII families and IV small businesses. Flooding last winter had already caused the building’s south flank to sink nearly half an arm’s length into the ground. But a call for evacuation issued by safety inspectors went virtually unheeded. Residents of other buildings in the vicinity are urged to examine the grounds of their respective tenements for any signs of erosion or crumbling. TODAY’S HOROSCOPE CAPRICORN Social : Stop beating around the bush, just say what’s on your mind. Personal : Single ? A meeting you have today may prove decisive.

SELEUCIA’S JEWS REMAIN ALOOF SPECIAL MISSION (cont’d from front page) Seleucia’s Jewish quarter balanced between nervous tensions and desperate coolness as people remained mostly indoors, all businesses being closed for the impromptu holiday. The news of the arrival of King Herod Agrippa II and General Vespasianus’ son Titus caused few outbursts amongst Jews, only the most fanatic risking arrest and exile by Praefectus Ventidius Falco’s armed guards. The start of the Jews’rebellion against Rome two years ago had divided the Jewish population. Refugees from Judaea and Samaria poured into the city, as well as into neighbouring Antioch, some in order to stir up support for the revolt, others to gain approval for the King’s policy of peaceful settlement with Rome. Readers will recall the scenes of street violence of last summer as the two camps battled for supremacy before the anti-Roman faction fled upon news of the arrival in Antioch of General Flavius Vespasianus. The burning of the King’s palace in Jeruslam, and of the home of Princess Julia Berenice, and their flight to Caesarea Maritima earlier this year appears to have prompted sympathy amongst local Jews Arson and rioting in Jerusalem. whose leaders have taken pains to avoid open displays of support for either Jewish faction. In an official letter addressed to the boulè, synagogue authorities say that “the conflict is not between Jews and the Emperor, but between our brothers who reside in the province of Judaea and their Procurator.” Authorities lay blame for the conflict on Gessius Florus, the Roman Procurator appointed to Judaea by Nero whose disgraceful plunder of entire cities was, they claim, a deliberate attempt to provoke civil war. Though the Senate has as yet passed no decree, Cestius Gallus, the Roman Legate to Syria stationed in Antioch, has made it clear that any public demonstration of support for the Jewish rebels would be construed an act of treason, and would result in banishment of the guilty parties and confiscation of their estates. in Jerusalem. But the love affair between Julia Berenice and Titus Flavius appears to discredit the incestuous romance theory. Members of the Legionary Legate’s retinue confirm that the couple have been living openly together in Caesarea Maritima where their passionate embraces are commented daily. The Legate and His Highness are seen to get along well with each other, sign that there is no cause for jealousy or rivalry between the two men. The second day of the stop-over will consist mainly of maintenance work on the ship and loading up of supplies for the rest of the journey and of gifts for the new emperor. City magistrates voted to present S. Sulpicius Galba with an ivory statue of Pasiphae from whom he descends. The day will close with a boxing match followed by a dinner party to be held in the Seleucid Fortress after a sacrifice at the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in the Upper City. The dinner will be given in honour of the Legate whose birthday is II days before the kalends of January, by which day the Syriana will be en route for Pamphylia. The Legate will be XXIX.

Image credits : Herod Agrippa II from Biblical Art on the WWW website ; Legionary Legate from the game Gladiatus, posted on a blog site ; war-torn Jerusalem : detail from Francesco Hayez’ painting of the destruction of the Second Temple.