Jerusalem Against RomeWhile conquering the world, Rome encountered a great number of peoples around the Mediterranean. We know very little about how these populations viewed their conquerors. The Jews were the only people to offer a comprehensive view of Rome over a great span of time. They expressed it in a rich corpus of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic sources, reflecting the evolution of the relations between Jews and Romans: from alliance and friendship to tensions and revolt, culminating for the Jews in temporary compliance to foreign domination together with hopeful expectations for redemption. The image of Rome which emerges from apocryphal, Talmudic and Midrashic literature durably shaped the Jewish political, moral and eschatological vision of the world and history. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
FROM FRIENDSHIP TO DISILLUSIONMENT | 7 |
ROME BEFORE 66 B C E AS SEEN BY PHILO | 41 |
FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS HISTORIAN OF | 75 |
265 | 92 |
Popular beliefs and magic practices | 103 |
ROME AND THE DESTRUCTION OF | 111 |
The punishment of Rome and the return of Nero | 122 |
From conciliation to resignation | 293 |
THE IMAGE OF PAGANISM AND THE | 305 |
Biblical accusations | 316 |
ROMAN RELIGION THROUGH THE RABBI | 325 |
The question of the imperial cult | 348 |
THE MORAL IMAGE OF ROME | 365 |
The exception and the rule | 372 |
Moral judgement of Rome in rabbinic sources | 380 |
The cause of the destruction of the Temple | 152 |
The events of Hadrians reign | 167 |
From Antonine the Pious to Diocletian | 193 |
CONSCIOUSNESS OF ROMAN POWER | 207 |
Provincial administration | 222 |
207 | 244 |
Military power | 260 |
Signs of loyalism | 284 |
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Common terms and phrases
3rd century 4th century according Agrippa Akiba Alexandria alliance amora apocalyptic appears army attested attributed Augustus authorities Babylon baraita Baruch Bethar biblical Caesar Caesarea Cassius Dio cited concerning cult death decree destruction Diocletian divine Edom Egypt Eleazar emperor Empire enemy Esau favourable Flaccus Flavius Flavius Josephus Florus friendship Greek Hadrian Hebrew Holy Hyrcanus ibid idolatry idols image of Rome imperial infra Israel Jerusalem Jerusalem Talmud Jewish Jews Johanan Jose Josephus Judaea Judah Judaism Judas king Kittim Legatio Macc Maccabees mention Messianic Midrash military Mishna nation Nero Oracles pagan Palestine passage period Philo political Polybius province Psalms of Solomon punishment Qumran rabbinic sources refers reign revolt Roman Rome Sanh seems Senate Shab siege Sifre Sifre Dt Simeon Sota Syria Talmud tannaitic Temple texts Third Sibyl Tiberius tion Titus Torah tradition verse Vespasian Zakkai