"I suppose that's not the worst he could do," Gaius said with a puzzled expression. Where was this going?
"It wasn't," Vitellius grinned even wider at the obvious discomfort on the young face before him. "He told the Jews they should pay Caesar's taxes."
"I don't quite see why that's a problem."
"The priests accused him of treason, for claiming to be the Jewish Messiah, the son of God who would save the Jews."
"That's a bit more seditious," Gaius nodded. "I assume he didn't make much headway." He paused again, then as he realized there was another question he should have asked, he continued, "What was the evidence?"
"You miss the point," Vitellius replied. "There's been something like a hundred claimants to be Messiah, and they usually end up dead because apparently if you want to fulfil the prophecy about the Messiah, you have to be killed."
"Unattractive prophecy," Gaius remarked. "If you have to be killed to fit the part, why so many takers?"
"Answer that and you're starting to come to grips with this part of the world."
"So, this Cristus. What happened to him?"
"He was accused of sedition, and taken before the Prefect Pilate. Tell me, what do you know of Prefects?"
"Not a lot," Gaius said. Now was not the time to report his experience with Flaccus.
"How long do you think a Prefect holds his position?"
"Usually, eighteen months to four years," Gaius replied. He was pleased to be able to show that he knew something. It was then that he remembered Flaccus, and he started wondering whether Vitellius was going to embarrass him.
"Guess how long Pilate held his?" Vitellius asked with a penetrating stare.
"Six months?" Gaius hazarded.
"Try ten years." Vitellius smiled at his newest charge's clear discomfort, so he added, "In this part of the world, such appointments are filled by people who tend to be forgotten by Rome. In this case, you can reasonably assume that Tiberius really didn't care."
"How could you say that?" Gaius said, then clearly wished he had not.
"Tiberius appointed Senator Lamia as Governor of Syria," he shrugged, "and then he ordered the Governor to stay in Rome. Accordingly for quite some time, Syria didn't even have a Governor."
"But surely someone was in charge?"
"Oh yes," Vitellius nodded. "If it cheers you up any, even if someone is grossly negligent in his duties, even to the extent of not turning up, someone steps into the breach and the Roman Empire still works. Doesn't that make you feel good?"
"I'm not sure I follow." Where was this going?
"You have already noted your Legate might as well be somewhere else," Vitellius said. "If you show any signs of life, you'll step up and take as much responsibility as you can."
"I'll do my. ."
"Yes, I thought you might be eager. Beginners always are! The question is, can you do what is required?" He paused, and his eyes bored into Gaius. Gaius stood his ground, and said nothing. Vitellius nodded, and continued, "For that we shall have to see. Anyway, back to this Pilate. Let's see what you make of this. When Pilate arrived in Judea, he landed in Caesarea. He went to Jerusalem, ordered two newly arrived cohorts to come to Jerusalem for the winter, then he went back to Caesarea. What do you make of this so far?"
"He should have at least met the Jewish king, um, isn't it Herod?"
"Yes, he should, and in fact he did. I forgot to mention that. He did that immediately, then he went to Caesarea," Vitellius nodded.
Gaius thought for a moment. It almost seemed that what Pilate did was not the issue, because Vitellius had not bothered to let him know the correct things he had done. It must be something else. He should not have left, but why not? His knowledge of the region was not good, but he knew there had not been a major uprising. It was then that he had an inspiration. It was what Vitellius had said.
"I think Pilate should have stayed in Jerusalem until his troops had arrived," he said at last.
"Why?" Vitellius asked tartly. But Gaius had seen his eyes flicker, and he knew he was on the right track.
"So that he could make clear to his troops not to carry out some sort of religious insult, and better still, consult with the priests and find out what comprised a religious insult."
"Ha! You've been listening! You pass the first test. You shall be rewarded, although whether you think what I'm going to give you is a reward is another matter. Guess what happened?"
"There was a religious insult."
"Hmmph!" Vitellius grunted, then after a short pause he shook his head slightly and continued, "I suppose you could hardly be expected to guess. This shows what it's like in this part of the world. The cohorts marched into Jerusalem, as usual bearing their standards, and they stopped somewhere near this wretched temple the Jews seem to get so excited about. Their religion forbids 'graven images' of other Gods, and these standards were considered images. There was nearly a riot, and it took six days before Pilate ordered them removed. Why do you think it took so long?"
"Three days to Caesarea, three days back," Gaius said confidently.
"Correct," Vitellius nodded. Although Gaius could not know this, for Vitellius' face gave no clue, he was rather pleased. This young man might be green, and who was not when they started their career, but he was alert, he could accept subtle clues, in short, he might be useful. His nightmare had been that in addition to a drunken Legate he would have to put up with an ostentatious Claudian bungler. "So, because of this perceived religious slight, we nearly had an open revolt. I hope you're taking this on board, because I really do not wish to have a revolt on my hands caused by your incompetence."
"No sir," Gaius agreed. There was little else he could say.
"On the other hand, I do not wish you to be petrified by inaction," Vitellius continued. "Here's one for you. King Herod, a Jewish king, you note, ordered the building of an aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem, and he and the priests authorized the use of sacred money known as the Qorban to build it. Pilate helped organize things, and eventually as progress continued, the Jews encircled his headquarters and almost revolted."
"I'm not sure I follow," Gaius said, after Vitellius had clearly stopped to invite a comment. "I can't see what Pilate did wrong."
"I can't either," Vitellius shrugged. "It seems that his advisor, the senior priest called Caiaphas, had had his nose put out of joint for something. Anyway, it was probably more out of joint a little later. Pilate had a cohort of soldiers dressed as Jews, and they suddenly started laying into the real Jews with clubs. They killed a number, broke a lot of bones, and generally put down the riot quite brutally. What do you think of that?"
Gaius thought for a moment, and then said, "Pilate knew this riot was coming fairly well in advance, otherwise the troops wouldn't have been able to have the disguises available in time, without everybody knowing how they got them."
Now Vitellius was surprised. He had raised the question more as one of morality and ethics, and he had always accepted the account at face value. It had never occurred to him that there might have been an undercurrent.
"Quite so," Vitellius nodded. "So, back to this Cristus. Caiaphas now brings this Galilean before Pilate and accuses this Cristus of wanting to be King of the Jews. You can assume Caiaphas would have corrupted Pilate and there was an angry crowd outside."
"Surely something could be done about that. ."
"Added to which," Vitellius interrupted, "he has access to one cohort of auxiliaries close by, and can call on another, and maybe some cavalry, within a month. What should Pilate have done?"
"Presumably he could call on legionary help?"
"To try a Jew for crimes the local religious leaders had already found him guilty of?"