Curated playlist
Jews and Judaism in the Roman Empire
- Jewish–Roman warsA dispute over land next to a synagogue in Caesarea helped spark a revolt against Rome.
- VespasianEmperor Vespasian taxed urine, then held a coin under his son's nose and asked if it smelled.
- Pontius PilatePontius Pilate is the only person, apart from Jesus and Mary, whose name is spoken aloud in the Christian creeds. The Nicene Creed says that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered death and was buried. The Apostles Creed uses…
- TitusEmperor Titus reportedly died saying, "I have made but one mistake." No one agrees what it was.
- Bar Kokhba revoltThe Bar Kokhba Revolt of 132 to 136 CE left behind silver coins that were struck over Roman ones. The old imperial designs were replaced with Jewish symbols. One first-year version shows a palm bundle called a lulav and a citron called an…
- Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE)In 70 CE, a Roman soldier threw a burning piece of wood into Jerusalem's Second Temple.
- The Jewish WarThe Jewish War was written by a man who fought on both sides of it. Flavius Josephus witnessed Jerusalem's destruction.
- Roman SyriaRoman Syria began in 64 BCE, when Pompey had the last Seleucid king executed.
- Syria PalaestinaRome once stripped a rebellious province of its name as punishment. Judaea became Syria Palaestina after 132-136 AD.
- SanhedrinThe Sanhedrin's high court met in a hall built half inside the Temple. Its 71 judges sat most days.