Interview with Barry Strauss: Jews vs. Rome: The Latest Book by Barry Strauss

"The geopolitical and the religious factors motivating Jewish rebellion against Rome both come out more clearly when you study these two centuries as a single narrative rather than focusing on, say, the Great Jewish Revolt of 66-70. For example, if you zero in on that one revolt, you might forget that Parthia conquered Judea in 40 BCE and snatched it away from Rome, but the Romans didn't forget that."

"And the continuing interest of the Parthians in Judea and also in the Diaspora Jews of the Roman empire comes into focus when one considers the broad span of two centuries. Likewise, the enduring appeal to Jews of apocalyptic and messianic beliefs stands out when over the span of centuries. For that matter, so does the preference of some Jews to cooperate with Rome and even, in at least a few cases, to assimilate."

Between 63 BCE and 136 CE, Judea experienced recurrent uprisings against Roman authority shaped by both geopolitical competition and religious conviction. Parthian interventions, including the conquest of Judea in 40 BCE, created an ongoing external threat that influenced Jewish strategies. Apocalyptic and messianic expectations repeatedly fueled rebellion, even as many Jews chose cooperation or assimilation with Rome. The close intertwining of religion and politics produced shifting loyalties, major revolts such as 66–70 CE and 132–136 CE, severe Roman reprisals, and long-term consequences for Jewish religious life, diaspora communities, and collective historical memory.

Read at World History Encyclopedia