Western Civilization.p

The Origins of Christianity and the Decline of the Roman Empire 101

Herod practiced Judaism and generally favored the
more numerous Pharisees over their opponents. His
realms extended north to the borders of Syria and east
into Transjordan and provided the revenues for an ex-
tensive building campaign, the jewel of which was the
reconstruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. Some of its
huge stones are still visible at the base of the Western
Wall. None of this endeared him to the more observant
Jews, but they accepted his rule.
When Herod died, he divided his kingdom into
three tetrarchies, each ruled by a son. Archelaus, the
Tetrarch of Judaea, so offended his Jewish subjects that
they asked Augustus to replace him with a Roman
procurator. Augustus agreed to do so, but the experi-
ment was a failure. In theory, the procurators were sup-
posed to look out for Roman interests while leaving
internal matters to the Jewish court known as the
Sanhedrin, but, if the Jewish historian Josephus
(c. 37–c. 100) may be believed, each procurator found
new ways of insulting Jewish religious and political sen-
sibilities. By A.D. 7 a group known as the Zealots had
dedicated themselves to the overthrow of Roman rule.
After this, the turmoil in Jerusalem was broken
only by the short reign of Herod Agrippa, a Jewish
prince who governed Judaea from A.D. 41 to 44 under
Roman protection. Riots and protests accompanied a

growing belief in the coming of the Messiah, who

would deliver the Jews from their enemies and restore

the world. False messiahs appeared with predictable

regularity and caused great concern among the Ro-

mans who feared that one of them might organize a

general revolt. Finally, in A.D. 66 the emperor Nero

dispatched an army under Vespasian to restore order.

The Zealots and most of the population resisted, and

Jerusalem fell to the Romans only after a long and ter-

rible siege (see illustration 6.1).

Exasperated by his inability to come to terms with

the Jews even after their defeat, Vespasian, who had by

this time succeeded Nero as emperor, ordered the Tem-

ple destroyed and the Jews scattered to the far corners

of the empire in A.D. 70. They retained their freedom to

worship and the exemption from sacrificing to the state

cult that had been granted them by Julius Caesar, but

the new exile or diaspora changed the character of Ju-

daism. The destruction of the Temple forced the aban-

donment of sacrifices and other temple rites, for it was

thought that the Temple could be restored only by the

coming of the Messiah. The role of the priesthood di-

minished. Religious guidance was provided by rabbis, or

teachers, who interpreted the law to the far-flung con-

gregations. The more distinguished of their opinions

helped form the Talmud, the vast collection of scriptural

Illustration 6.1

Relief from the Arch of Titus, Rome.The relief shows the

spoils taken from the capture of Jerusalem. The arch was erected

after Titus’s death, probably about A.D. 81, and commemorates

the dual triumph celebrated by Vespasian and Titus in A.D. 71 af-

ter their victory over the Jews and the destruction of the Temple.

Note the menorah at center left. The seven-branched candelabra

first became a symbol of the Jewish people during this era.