Roman Empire Persecution of the Jews
The Jewish people have constantly been persecuted, but one of the most significant times in ancient history was the persecution of the Jews by the Roman Empire. The Romans tried to suppress the Jews several times in their history, killing many of them on the way. Though the Jews fought battles with strength, their strength did not match that of the Romans.
In 63 A.D., the Roman Empire took over Judea, the land of the Jews. However, the Jews refused to worship the Roman Gods (the Romans believed in many gods, where the Jews were strictly monotheistic).Although the Romans obviously had problems with the Jews, they let the Jews legally worship their God to repay the Jews for helping Julius Caesar win a recent battle.
Romans were suspicious of the Jews and persecuted them on numerous occasions. An immense conflict arose in 66 A.D. when Nero was the emperor of Rome. The Roman governor of Judea claimed that he was collecting more taxes for the government and actually ended up stealing a great sum of money from the Jewish Temple. The Jews and the Jewish revolutionaries, or zealots, were enraged and started to rebel against and attack the Romans in their province. Nero sent legions in to ruthlessly suppress the Jews and their revolt. By 70 A.D. Romans regained control of the province, as well as control of the Great Temple after years of fighting with the Jews. The Romans killed over 1 million Jews in this conflict, and many other Jews were sold into slavery. After the Romans had control, they made the remaining Jews move to all different parts of the empire, as to avoid them to having enough power to revolt again.
In 63 A.D., the Roman Empire took over Judea, the land of the Jews. However, the Jews refused to worship the Roman Gods (the Romans believed in many gods, where the Jews were strictly monotheistic).Although the Romans obviously had problems with the Jews, they let the Jews legally worship their God to repay the Jews for helping Julius Caesar win a recent battle.
Romans were suspicious of the Jews and persecuted them on numerous occasions. An immense conflict arose in 66 A.D. when Nero was the emperor of Rome. The Roman governor of Judea claimed that he was collecting more taxes for the government and actually ended up stealing a great sum of money from the Jewish Temple. The Jews and the Jewish revolutionaries, or zealots, were enraged and started to rebel against and attack the Romans in their province. Nero sent legions in to ruthlessly suppress the Jews and their revolt. By 70 A.D. Romans regained control of the province, as well as control of the Great Temple after years of fighting with the Jews. The Romans killed over 1 million Jews in this conflict, and many other Jews were sold into slavery. After the Romans had control, they made the remaining Jews move to all different parts of the empire, as to avoid them to having enough power to revolt again.
The Jews dispersed throughout the Roman Empire, but heavily in Mesopotamia. When the Emperor Trajan came into rule, he attacked the people of Mesopotamia. A heavy resistance was given by the Jews there because of their past with the Romans suppressing them and taking away their temple. The Romans diminished this revolt by killing the majority of the Jewish community and burning down the main synagogue in Alexandria. Before peace was restored, Trajan died, and his successor, Hadrian, promised that he would make peace with the region of Mesopotamia (Parthia) and that he would never again extend the Roman Empire past the Euphrates.
Hadrian said that he sought peace, but he may have been putting on a front. The Jews quickly realized that he was just another Emperor that would enrage the Jewish people. Hadrian was a pagan, and despised non-pagan religions. He put a ban on the instruction of the laws and customs of circumcision. The Jews started an armed rebellion in the Holy Land. It was 132 A.D. and Rabbi Akiva was leading the rebellion. Though 500,000 Jews died, the Jewish people won and re-established a Jewish state.
When Constantine became emperor in 313, he passed the Edict of Milan in 315, which made Christianity legal, but not Judaism. After the Christian religion spread and the Council of Nicaea was held, the Christian Sabbath was determined to be on Sunday unlike the Jewish reverence for Saturday. This change, and the change of the official religion to Christianity, made the Jews not only stand out as heretics, but they were no longer considered citizens of Rome. The idea that the Christian people are the new chosen people of God, rather than the Jews is called the replacement theology. The new legal religion, and the new way of life was declared to be the Christianity rather than Judaism. A false allegation was also put against the Jews that made them be more hated than they already were. The blood libel was when Christians accused Jews of killing Christians, especially children, for the blood for their passover. When a child died, eyes turned to the Jews and they were further persecuted for tho reason.
Another emperor, Theodious the Great, declared Christianity as the only legal religion and permitted the destruction of synagogues in 391. Then, in 855, the Jews were exiled from Italy.
As one can see, the Jews had a hard time living in the Roman empire. They were constantly suppressed and persecuted by the Romans. Though the Jews tried their hardest to resist this discrimination, they always ended up on the wrong side of things due to their difference in religion or customs compared to other people. The Jews did have many difficulties living in the Roman Empire, but their people would continue to be persecuted in numerous other times, most significantly, in the Holocaust.
Hadrian said that he sought peace, but he may have been putting on a front. The Jews quickly realized that he was just another Emperor that would enrage the Jewish people. Hadrian was a pagan, and despised non-pagan religions. He put a ban on the instruction of the laws and customs of circumcision. The Jews started an armed rebellion in the Holy Land. It was 132 A.D. and Rabbi Akiva was leading the rebellion. Though 500,000 Jews died, the Jewish people won and re-established a Jewish state.
When Constantine became emperor in 313, he passed the Edict of Milan in 315, which made Christianity legal, but not Judaism. After the Christian religion spread and the Council of Nicaea was held, the Christian Sabbath was determined to be on Sunday unlike the Jewish reverence for Saturday. This change, and the change of the official religion to Christianity, made the Jews not only stand out as heretics, but they were no longer considered citizens of Rome. The idea that the Christian people are the new chosen people of God, rather than the Jews is called the replacement theology. The new legal religion, and the new way of life was declared to be the Christianity rather than Judaism. A false allegation was also put against the Jews that made them be more hated than they already were. The blood libel was when Christians accused Jews of killing Christians, especially children, for the blood for their passover. When a child died, eyes turned to the Jews and they were further persecuted for tho reason.
Another emperor, Theodious the Great, declared Christianity as the only legal religion and permitted the destruction of synagogues in 391. Then, in 855, the Jews were exiled from Italy.
As one can see, the Jews had a hard time living in the Roman empire. They were constantly suppressed and persecuted by the Romans. Though the Jews tried their hardest to resist this discrimination, they always ended up on the wrong side of things due to their difference in religion or customs compared to other people. The Jews did have many difficulties living in the Roman Empire, but their people would continue to be persecuted in numerous other times, most significantly, in the Holocaust.