Based on Jewish Virtual Library.org
The Jewish Wars
ROME / ISRAEL63 BC / Roman rule growing more onerous
Taxes (confiscatory)
Religion (Rome appointed High Priests, who purchased position)
Emp Caligula declared himself deity & ordered a statue of himself set up in every temple in Empire (only the Jews objected & “radicalized” the more moderate Jews)
Partiality: to Gentiles (Herodians) living in Israel /
Great
Revolt / Roman soldiers “exposed themselves” in the Temple, burned a Torah scroll / Zealots:Political & Religious Liberty! All means justified this end result. Caligula’s sudden death gave hope that God would defend Jerusalem, if only they had the courage (like Maccabees) to confront Rome
66 CE / Florus, last Roman procurator, stole vast quantities of silver from the Temple / This theft, caused Zealots to route a small Roman garrison and a Syrian reinforcement, from Jerusalem—Gave them confidence to think they could defeat anyone!
68 / Romans responded with 60K armed, professional troops-- starting in Galilee, killing/ enslaving 100K Jews. / Jewish leadership in Jerusalem did not respond to help their brothers, b/c they concluded a revolt could not be won. Wanted to hold down # of Jewish deaths
Jewish refugees fled to Jerusalem, killing ALL Jewish leadership who were not as radical as they.
JEWS: Failure of Revolt, not by Rome,
but due to “Causeless Hatred”
among Jews brothers / Civil War: Zealots burned entire dry food supply of Jerusalem, trying to force ALL Jews to fight against Rome. Rabbi ben Zakkai, escaped & surrendered to Rome, given asylum.
70 / Rome breached the walls of Jerusalem, orgy of violence & destruction.
Burned Second Temple on 9th of Av
(same day as First Temple)
Coliseum built with slave labor & spoils from Temple. / Jewish believers, seeing Jerusalem surrounded by enemy forces, recognized Jesus’ prophecy and at the right time, escaped to Pella, Jordan. None died.
1 MILLION Jews killed!Survivors forced out of Jerusalem.
118 / Hadrian sympathetic to Jews (at first) & granted permission to rebuild Holy Temple, only in a different location. / Jews allowed to return to Jerusalem, until Hadrian changed mind and deported Jews to North Africa. Organized guerrilla forces, prepared “secret rebellion”
123 / Hadrian forbid Jews to perform circumcision. / Minted coins, “Freedom of Jerusalem”
Bar-Kochba Revolt / Rebuilt & re-named Jerusalem, AeliaCapitolina, pagan city. Built temple to Jupiter (Zeus) in place of Jewish Holy Temple / Rabbi Akiva anointed Bar-Kochba (Son of the Star) as Messiah.Jewish believers in Jesus did not support this revolt and became Jewish outcasts.
132-135 / Last Battle: Rome defeated Jews at Bethar on 9th of Av (same day as 1st & 2nd Temple!), Jews were not allowed to bury their dead for 6 days.
Plowed Jerusalem with yoke of oxen. / Total loss of Jewish political authority in Israel. Name of Israel changed to Syria Palestina. Forbidden to study Torah, observe Sabbath, meet in synagogues.
138 / “Age of Persecution” of Jews ended / But by this time, many surviving Jews had already assimilated into gentile cultures or were sent to other nations (DIASPORA) until 1948.