I have my suspicions regarding this author too...
"The first one to put forward his case always seems right until another comes to examine him". Or when he/she writes of something that you have equal or greater knowledge of.
Did you notice that other books he has written? There was a list at the end of the article. It throws into question everything he says in this article.
I took an elective on Ancient History at University -- many years ago -- and really enjoyed one of the required readings called "Rome". I was amazed by the authors "knowledge and insight". Until, that is, I came to the chapter titled "The Jews, Jesus and Paul". By the end of it I thought that if he could be so wrong about that subject that he had probably made up the rest of the book. I could never bring myself to read it again.
John
