7.09. B. The Final Struggle with Imperial Rome

Chapter 3 A Summary of Jewish History B. The Final Struggle with Imperial Rome THIS overthrow of the Jewish nation seemed irreparable and final; but some sixty years later the bitter struggle with the power of Rome commenced anew, and the desperate courage of the Jews and their overwhelming numbers protracted the contest three and a half years. The Emperor Hadrian had revived a law by which the practice of circumcision was punished by death; he also proposed to build a city, over the ruins of Jerusalem, to be named Ælia Capitolina, and to erect on the platform foundation of the destroyed Temple of Jehovah a temple for the worship of Jupiter. This maddened the Jews, threatening as it did to destroy both their separate national existence and their national hopes—ever expectant of the coming of Messiah and of future glory in their land. The appearance of a man at this time, who claimed to be the promised Messiah, and whom the great Rabbi Akiba hailed as such by the name of Bar Cochba (“Son of a Star”),¹ in allusion to the prophecy of Balaam, inflamed their zeal to white heat. The Rabbis and students of the Law ardently encouraged the revolt. The numbers who rallied to Bar Cochba are reported by Dio Cassius as 580,000, including some hired soldiery. For some two years their fierce valour caused Tinius Rufus, the Roman Governor, to retreat before them; the additional help in troops sent from Rome was insufficient to cope with the Jewish forces, madly confident of success, until Julius Severus, the most capable of all Roman generals of the time, was recalled from Britain. The task of subduing the Jews was no light one even for him; it was a prolonged guerilla warfare, the foes not to be met in open conflict, but having to be sought out in their places of concealment, incurring terrible suffering and waste of life to both armies.

¹ After the bitter disappointment of their hopes the survivors changed the name to Bar Coziba (“Son of a Lie”). The last stand was made at Bithar, which held out two years, till the people were reduced to starvation; it is probable also that treachery aided the Romans in the end. All the men were put to the sword, and the women and children reserved for slavery.

Five hundred and eighty thousand Jews are said to have perished in battle, beside those who perished by famine and sickness. “Judea was almost wholly a wilderness”; 50 castles and 285 villages were entirely destroyed. At the yearly market, by Abraham’s Oak at Hebron, Jewish slaves were sold at a nominal price; a Jew was worth no more than a horse. A Temple to Jupiter rose on Mount Moriah, and Jerusalem received the name of Ælia Capitolina; Jews being forbidden on pain of death to come within sight of the city.