The Last Ember by Daniel Levin

This source, "The Last Ember" by Daniel Levin, is a work of fiction centered on ancient history, antiquities, and treasure troves, primarily set in Rome and Jerusalem. The narrative follows Jonathan Marcus, a corporate lawyer with a classics background, who becomes entangled in a dangerous quest for a lost artifact: the menorah from Herod's Temple. He partners with Emili Travia, a preservationist, as they uncover clues left by the historian Josephus and Giuseppe Valadier, leading them through underground Roman ruins like the Domus Aurea and the Colosseum, ultimately to the Arch of Titus. Their pursuit is complicated by a vast conspiracy involving Salah ad-Din, the Waqf Authority, and corrupt officials, all seeking to control the artifact and its historical implications, culminating in dramatic confrontations and revelations about betrayal and hidden histories.