Bloodlines

The legions of Rome and Herod the Idumean have defeated Antigonus, the last Hasmonean king of Judea. He had sent his pregnant queen to safety in Jericho, but she died in childbirth leaving an orphan daughter. A young rabbi named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth hide the infant from Herod, and raise her in Bethany as their niece. When she comes of age she falls in love with a young shepherd named Alphaeus who asks for her hand in marriage. Zechariah refuses to let her marry in the hope...
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The legions of Rome and Herod the Idumean have defeated Antigonus, the last Hasmonean king of Judea. He had sent his pregnant queen to safety in Jericho, but she died in childbirth leaving an orphan daughter. A young rabbi named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth hide the infant from Herod, and raise her in Bethany as their niece. When she comes of age she falls in love with a young shepherd named Alphaeus who asks for her hand in marriage. Zechariah refuses to let her marry in the hope of saving her to wed the promised Messiah. Prince Antipater, the son of Herod discovers her secret and kidnaps, rapes, and impregnates her, forcing her to marry him under Jewish law. When Herod, who has sworn to end her bloodline discovers who she is, he imprisons her in his dungeon. A heartbroken Alphaeus hears of her plight and rushes to save his beloved from the wrath of the king? In Rome, Octavian Caesar and his general Agrippa defeat Antony and Cleopatra, consolidating power between them. They seal the partnership with the betrothal of Octavian's step-son Tiberius to Vipsania, Agrippa's daughter. Years later, Agrippa dies unexpectedly and Octavian demands that Tiberius divorce his wife and marry Agrippa's widow Julia. This creates a permanent rift between the two powerful men.