The Sicarii: The History of the Ancient Jewish Assassins Who Fought the Romans by Charles River Editors
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Overview: The fighting between the Romans and Jews in the 1st century CE brought about some of the most important events in Jewish history. The Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, a disaster that would eventually prove both permanent and catastrophic since it was never rebuilt. The fighting also permanently altered the diaspora of Judaism in the ancient world, but because the First Jewish War was indecisive in breaking the power of the Jewish revolt permanently, it was also inconclusive and led to further, inevitable revolts that broke Judean identity completely in the 2nd century CE.
The siege of Jerusalem was a classic case of two opposing and incompatible worldviews. It was not the first time the Romans had conquered the capital of the kingdom, nor was it the first time Jerusalem had been sacked by a foreign power. It was unusual for the Romans, however, because it was not the final act that such a conquest generally was. With few exceptions, such as the Carthaginians and the Celts, the Romans had not encountered an opponent who refused to remain defeated. Roman generals and governors found this stubborn resistance unnerving, and that may have contributed to an increased cruelty toward the local Jewish population. The Romans were inclined to be tolerant of local religious customs as long as the local population paid lip service to Roman religious domination, such as in the very politically motivated Cult of the Emperor. However, to the Romans’ bewilderment, the Jews were absolutely, adamantly opposed to worshiping any deity above God (in the universal form of Yahweh), or even alongside or beneath God. At this point in their theological history, the Jews had become strict monotheists, and worshiping the emperor as a deity would imperil their immortal souls. Therefore, they absolutely refused to do this and were willing to die for their faith.
Genre: Non-Fiction > History
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