06.10. General Conditions during the First Century AD

General Conditions during the First Century AD Upon Herod’s death, there were a number of revolts and disturbances.

• While the brothers were in Rome vying for the kingship, the Roman governor wanted to raid the temple. The fight that ensued claimed many on both sides. When Varus, the president of Syria came to his rescue, he killed many along the way and crucified about 2000 of those that appeared to have been leaders in the turmoil.

• Some of Herod’s veteran soldiers fought against those of the king’s party.

• Judas of Sepphoris led a large rebellion.

• Simon from Perea burnt the royal palace in Jericho. He and his followers were killed. A number of other great buildings were also destroyed.

• A shepherd named Athrongeus acted like a king and overran the countryside for a time. He killed Jews, Romans and those of the king’s party.

In about 6 AD, Archelaus the son of Herod that received charge over Judea was banished. At this time, Judea became a Roman province. The other two brothers retained their respective territory. At this time, Judas revolted over the issue of taxation. Josephus describes this: so men received what they said with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. All sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends, who used to alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murders of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; whence arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their own people (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might be left), and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us, reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemy’s fire. Such were the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to destruction, which these men occasioned by thus conspiring together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundation of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before unacquainted withal; concerning which I shall discourse a little, and this the rather, because the infection which spread thence among the younger sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to destruction. (Antiq. 18:6–10 JOSEPH)

During the tenure of Coponius, (6AD - 10 AD) the Roman governor, some Samaritans came into Jerusalem and threw corpses into the cloisters in the temple area. At this, they were excluded from the temple.

Pilate, who was governor from 26 AD to 36 AD, wanted to abolish Jewish laws and brought ensigns with images into Jerusalem. The Jews protested to him in Caesarea. Josephus records the following: and when the Jews petitioned him again, he gave a signal to the soldiers to encompass them round, and threatened that their punishment should be no less than immediate death, unless they would leave off disturbing him, and go their ways home. But they threw themselves upon the ground, and laid their necks bare, and said they would take their death very willingly, rather than the wisdom of their laws should be transgressed; upon which Pilate was deeply affected with their firm resolution to keep their laws inviolable, and presently commanded the images to be carried back from Jerusalem to Cesarea. (Antiq. 18:58–59 JOSEPH)

Another time, Pilate constructed an aqueduct and exacted money from the temple treasury to pay for it. When the Jews complained about him using the sacred money, his soldiers beat and killed many of them.

Towards the end of his tenure, one of the Samaritans persuaded others that they should go to Mount Gerizim where he would show them the sacred vessels that Moses had placed there. They armed themselves to go there but Pilate came against them and killed some and dispersed others. He took many alive and killed the most prominent ones.

Caius, the Roman emperor, ordered a statute of himself to be erected in Jerusalem. When the Jews found out about this, they petitioned Petronius, the president of Syria. Petronius threatened them with death and war, but the Jews bared their necks as being ready to die. They also did not till the ground during this time. Petronius relented and sent a letter to Caius explaining the situation. There had been a great drought for a year, but as soon as Petronius relented, God sent rain. The emperor was quite upset with Petronius and ordered him to commit suicide. The letter was delayed though and Petronius received word that Caius was killed prior to receiving the letter from the emperor. Petronius recognized that the God of the Jews had worked in these situations.

Around 40 AD, Fadus, the new Roman governor caught Tholomy, an arch robber and killed him. During his tenure, Judea was cleared of robberies. In the middle to late 40 AD period, there was great famine in Palestine. Many people died during this time. Helena, queen of Adiabene, (a kingdom East of the Tigris River) had embraced the Jewish Religion and provided food for the people in Judea. Her son, Izates, also converted to Judaism and trusted God for his deliverance even when a great army came against him. God diverted that army back to where it came from without harming Izates.

During this time, a magician named Theudas deceived many people and told them to follow him with their belongings. He told them he was a prophet and would divide the Jordan so that they could cross it. Fadus, the governor sent horsemen against them and killed many and took many others alive. Theudas had his head cut off.

During the tenure of Cumanus, during Passover, one of the Roman soldiers let down his breaches and exposed himself to the multitude. After the Jews protested, Cumanus sent his troops against them. As the people fled, at least 20,000 were killed. Some of those that had raised the tumult at the temple robbed a servant of Caesar. At the news of this, Cumanus ordered his soldiers to plunder the neighboring villages. As the soldiers did this, one of them destroyed a copy of the Law of Moses. When the Jews complained to Cumanus, out of fear of more violence, he executed the soldier.

Following this, some Jews from Galilee were traveling through Samaria. As they were going through, some Samaritans fought with them and killed a number of them. When the Jews complained to Cumanus, he accepted a bribe from the Samaritans. At this, some of the Jews along with a robber named Eleazer were going to fight the Samaritans. Cumanus, along with soldiers and Samaritans slew many and took many alive. After this, Josephus records that Judea was overrun by robbers. Cumanus was governor from 48 AD to 52 AD.

Felix succeeded him and was governor from 52 AD to 60 AD. The Roman historian writes:

Antonius Felix, practised every kind of cruelty and lust, wielding the power of king with all the instincts of a slave;^l Josephus writes regarding this time period:

Now, as for the affairs of the Jews, they grew worse and worse continually; for the country was again filled with robbers and impostors, who deluded the multitude. Yet did Felix catch and put to death many of those impostors every day, together with the robbers. He also caught Eleazar, the son of Dineus, who had gotten together a company of robbers; and this he did by treachery; for he gave him assurance that he should suffer no harm, and thereby persuaded him to come to him; but when he came, he bound him and sent him to Rome. Felix also bore an ill will to Jonathan, the high priest, because he frequently gave him admonitions about governing the Jewish affairs better than he did, lest he should himself have complaints made of him by the multitude, since he it was who had desired Caesar to send him as procurator of Judea. (Antiq. 20:160–162 JOSEPH)

Felix then hired some robbers (Sicarii) to kill Jonathon the high priest. This group then went on to kill their enemies. They were also hired to kill others, even in the temple.

Josephus makes an interesting observation: And this seems to me to have been the reason why God, out of his hatred to these men’s wickedness, rejected our city; and as for the temple, he no longer esteemed it sufficiently pure for him to inhabit therein, but brought the Romans upon us, and threw a fire upon the city to purge it; and brought upon us, our wives, and children, slavery,—as desirous to make us wiser by our calamities. These works, that were done by the robbers, filled the city with all sorts of impiety. And now these impostors and deceivers persuaded the multitude to follow them into the wilderness, and pretended that they would exhibit manifest wonders and signs, that should be performed by the providence of God. And many that were prevailed on by them suffered the punishments of their folly; for Felix brought them back, and then punished them. (Antiq. 20:166–168 JOSEPH) And again the robbers stirred up the people to make war with the Romans, and said they ought not to obey them at all; and when any persons would not comply with them, they set fire to their villages, and plundered them. (Antiq. 20:172 JOSEPH)

Upon Festus’s coming into Judea, it happened that Judea was afflicted by the robbers, while all the villages were set on fire, and plundered by them. (Antiq. 20:185 JOSEPH) It basically just got worse and worse in the final years, prior to the destruction of Jerusalem.