The Jewish People Under Roman Rule

The Jewish People Under Roman Rule

By Shamona Lewis

However, because of past conquests and exiles, there were also Jews living all over the Roman Empire. Thousands lived in the city of Rome. Syria and Egypt also had large Jewish populations. 

Unlike most of Rome’s conquered peoples, the Jews believed in one God.Thus, the Roman belief in many gods and goddesses directly clashed with their beliefs. As a result, they refused to worship Roman gods. Since they did not discourage others from worshipping Roman gods, they were allowed to practice Judaism in peace for many years. Over time, conflicts about religion grew between the Jews and the Roman government. 

From 37 to 4 BCE, King Herod the Great was the local ruler of Judaea under the Romans. He was careful to deliver the required taxes to the Romans. As a result, Rome let the Jews practice their religion in peace. With the tax money that was left over, Herod rebuilt the Temple at Jerusalem, which had originally been destroyed by the Babylonians in about 586 BCE.​

 In 40 CE, the Roman Emperor Caligula insisted that a statue of him be placed in the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem. Although he later withdrew this demand, it and other insults to their religion caused the Jews to rebel against Rome in 66 CE. Four years later, Titus – who later became the emperor of Rome – crushed the revolt and destroyed the temple.

​After the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, Jewish troops at the mountaintop fortress of Masada made a last stand. It took 15,000 Roman soldiers almost two years to defeat 1,000 Jewish fighters.

In 132 CE, the Jews in Judaea revolted against the Romans for the third time. The Roman response was more brutal than ever. One ancient writer reported that half a million Jews had been killed. After the revolt was put down, the Emperor Hadrian forced the Jews to leave Jerusalem.

Hadrian

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