Why I Wrote Maximus
The idea for Maximus came from a simple question: what did the crucifixion look like to someone who was there professionally? Not a disciple, not a member of the crowd, but a Roman centurion whose job was to manage an execution — a man formed entirely by an institution that had no category for what he was witnessing. I then spent years as a Royal Navy chaplain alongside men and women whose lives were also defined by duty, discipline and service, and I recognised something in that figure. The novel grew from wanting to explore this significant event in human history through eyes that were honest about their own spiritual awareness but choose to distrust institutional religion.
Enjoyed this article? John writes regularly about the historical world behind the Maximus novels.