4 Birth of Jesus--Death of Herod. He wills his dominions to his surviving sons, =Herod Antipas= and =Archelaus=. 6 A.D. The Jews appeal to Rome on account of Archelaus’ misgovernment. Augustus deposes the ethnarch, and Judea becomes a Roman province. 7 The census of Quirinius takes place. =Coponius= is procurator. He is followed by =Marcus Ambivius= and =Annius Rufus=. 15 =Valerius Gratus= appointed procurator. 26 =Pontius Pilate= appointed procurator. The procurators are subordinate to the Imperial Legates of Syria and reside at Cæsarea. 29 Jesus begins his ministry. 33 Death of Jesus. 36 =Marcellus= appointed procurator. 37 =Marullus= appointed procurator. 38 Persecution of the Jews for refusing to worship Caligula. 41 The emperor Claudius commits the former kingdom of Herod to the latter’s grandson, =Agrippa=. 44 Death of Agrippa. =Cuspius Fadus= appointed procurator. The insurrection of Theudas takes place. 46 =Tiberius Alexander= appointed procurator. 48 =Cumanus= appointed procurator. Signs of revolt among the Jews appear. 52 =Felix= appointed procurator. The state of anarchy increases. The Zealots become the dominant party. 60 =Porcius Festus= appointed procurator. 62 =Albinus= appointed procurator. 64 =Gessius Florus=, the last procurator, appointed. 66 =Florus= seizes the temple treasure. After other atrocities the Jews revolt. The Syrian legate appears before Jerusalem, but quickly raises the siege. The emperor then appoints Vespasian to conduct the war. 67 Vespasian arrives in Galilee. Siege and capture of Jotapata. Josephus the insurgent general taken. 68 Siege of Jerusalem begins. 70 Fall of Jerusalem. [Illustration: JERUSALEM] CHAPTER I. LAND AND PEOPLE It is difficult nowadays to realise how unimportant the people of Israel seemed in their own time, as viewed by contemporaries. Thanks to their traditions, which the Western world accepted almost unchallenged for many centuries, the Hebrews came to be thought of as occupying a central position in the Oriental world. In point of fact they had no such position. They were quite overshadowed by numerous competitors. Except for a brief period under David and Solomon, they were never a conquering people, or of political consequence. They could not compete in culture with the Egyptians on the one hand, or with the Assyrians on the other. They were not great traders like their neighbours, the Phœnicians. We shall see that they even turned to the latter for aid in building their famous temple which, after all, as it appears, was but an insignificant structure compared with the great pyramids and temples of their neighbours.