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Dissatisfaction with Roman rule continued to grow. Various local rebellions (often centered around one Messianic claimant or another) were put down. But in the late 60s unrest grew to a level that it even engulfed enough of the formerly compromising leaders to lead to open revolt. Not surprisingly, the Romans responded militarily. The general Vespasian was sent in to quell the rebellion, and when he was recalled to serve as emperor, his son, Titus, took over the task of crushing the revolt. In the end the Romans were successful and both Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. At this point Judaism began a period of reevaluation and reformulation. A gathering of scholars took place around Yavne (Jamnia) and the was surely much discussion regarding the directions that a post-Temple Judaism might take. We do not know with any certainty how much was concluded (there is a tendency for historians to find councils or even individuals to give credit to for decisions that may have been arrived at much more informally). As Rome grew more heavy-handed and a new generation of the oppressed grew up the makings of another rebellion began to ferment. The rise of a Messianic claimant by the name of Shimon bar Kosibah (bar Kochba) was apparently enough to spark another rebellion in 132. Under the the leadership of Julius Severus, the Romans once again responded. By 135 the rebellion was over in a response, if possible, more violent and cruel than the first (in 70). [AH] |
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Destruction
of the Temple of Jerusalem.