CONFLICTS BETWEEN JUDAEA AND ROME - VIRTUAL MUSEUM

Rome began as a humble city-state in central Italia which, according to tradition was founded in 753 BC. When the Romans threw off their monarchy and founded a Republic, they began to expand rapidly until they were in control of all of Italia and a major trading center in the central Mediterranean. This expansion lead to conflict with the other major trading center in the region, Carthage. In a series of three Punic Wars, Rome defeated Carthage and this removal of their rival allowed for almost unchecked expansion. By the dawn of the Christian era Rome was master of the entire Mediterranean Sea. The Romans generally allowed annexed areas to retain a degree of political and religious autonomy provided they were willing to pay taxes and acknowledge the traditional Roman pantheon of gods. This was not a problem for most of the already polytheistic cultures encountered by Roman expansion, but was of course deeply disturbing to the staunchly monotheistic Jews and often lead to tension.

 

The Roman Conquest of Judaea

 

  ROMAN REPUBLIC

M. Aemilius Scaurus &

P. Platius Hypsaeus

SILVER DENARIUS

 

58 BC

17mm   4.2g SR-379

In 63 BC, Pompey the Great who had just established Syria as a Roman Province. At the same time there was a conflict in Judaea between Judah Aristrobulus II and John Hyrcanus II and Pompey, who seldom missed an opportunity, intervened in the conflict. Pompey put Scaurus, the Prefect of Syria in charge of the operation that resulted in the arrest of Aristobulus and a seige of Jerusalem. Hyrcanus II submitted to Pompey and Judaea became a Roman province with Hyrcanus II as a client king of Rome. To mark the event the above coin was minted in 58 BC when Scaurus and Platius were Consul.

 

The First Jewish War Against Rome

 

  JUDAEA

FIRST REVOLT

BRONZE PRUTAH

 

AD 68-69

17mm   2.6g HENDIN-1363

This bronze Prutah was issued in towards the end of the First Jewish War with Rome by the defenders of Jerusalem. The Jews rebelled against Rome in AD 66 as a protest against heavy taxation by Rome. The Roman Procurator Florus responded by taking the money stored in the Temple which in turn sparked a much wider revolt. The Emperor Nero placed the general Vespasian in charge of putting down the rebellion in AD 67 and he invaded Judaea and raised a seige against Jerusalem. In AD 68 Nero committed suicide and a Civil War erupted in Rome resulting in a rapid succession of emperors over AD 68-69. In AD 69 Vespasian was declared emperor by his legions. He placed his son Titus in charge of putting down the rebellion and left for Rome to secure his position. In AD 70 Titus defeated the Jews and destroyed the Temple killing an estimated million people.


  JUDAEA

Local Judaea Capta Issue

TITUS

CAESAREA MARITIMA MINT

 

AD 79-81

21mm   6.6g HENDIN-1448


  JUDAEA

Local Judaea Capta Issue

DOMITIAN

CAESAREA MARITIMA MINT

 

AD 83

21mm   10.3g HENDIN-1448


  JUDAEA

Local Judaea Capta Issue

DOMITIAN

CAESAREA MARITIMA MINT

 

AD 83

15mm   1.9g HENDIN-1457

The local Judaea Capta coinage pictured above were issued in Judaea and circulated in the region. There was more than one reason for the issue of this local series, among them to celebrate the victory and demonstrate the military prowess of the emperor. However, the primary reason seems to have been as a warning against future disloyalty to Rome.


  ROMAN EMPIRE

VESPASIAN

JUDAEA CAPTA

SILVER DENARIUS

 

AD 69-70

18mm   3.2g RIC II 2


  ROMAN EMPIRE

VESPASIAN

JUDAEA CAPTA

BRONZE SESTERTIUS

 

AD 71

33mm   26.2g RIC II 167

The Imperial issue of Judaea Capta coinage which was issued at Rome and circulated through the Empire, but especially in the region around Rome, was intended to spread the message that the new emperor Vespasian was a great military commander. It can be seen as an effort to secure his position after a turbulent period in which the throne had been claimed by a number of contenders.


  ROMAN EMPIRE

TITUS

SILVER DENARIUS

 

AD 80

18mm   3.3g RIC II 110

Titus oversaw the completion of the military action against Judaea. In the process he befriended the famous Jewish historian Josephus who would go on to write the most complete record of the war. He would return to Rome and become emperor himself when his father died in AD 79. During his brief reign Mt. Vesuvius would erupt and the Colosseum would be opened.

The Bar Kokhba Revolt Against Rome

 

  JUDAEA

BAR KOKHBA REVOLT

UNCERTAIN MINT

SILVER ZUZ

 

AD 134-135

19mm   3.6g HENDIN-1431


In AD 132 a second rebellion against Rome began. It was lead by Simon Bar Kokhba a mystic who often acted in an irrational and violent manner. He also severely persecuted the Christians for their refusal to join his rebellion. Some prominent Jewish leaders believed Bar Kokhba might be the Messiah.

 

  ROMAN EMPIRE

HADRIAN

BRONZE SESTERTIUS

 

AD 134-138

31mm   27.5g RIC II 763


Under Hadrian the rebellion was put down and an estimated 600,000 Jews were killed, in addition the Jews were banished from Judaea by Hadrian and Israel ceased to exist as a nation. To this day many orthodox Jews follow the mention of Hardian with the curse "may his bones be crushed."


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