The Provinces of the Roman Empire, from Caesar to Diocletian. v. 2Mommsen, Theodor
History
The Provinces of the Roman Empire, from Caesar to Diocletian. v. 2
Mommsen, Theodor
Roman provinces -- Administration; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.
well as full of aversion towards the unclean strangers. The war there
was not a war between one power and another for the ascendency, not
even properly a war of the oppressed against the oppressors for the
recovery of freedom; it was not daring statesmen,[180] but fanatical
peasants that began and waged it, and paid for it with their blood. It
was a further stage in the history of national hatred; on both sides
continued living together seemed impossible, and they encountered each
other with the thought of mutual extirpation.
[Sidenote: Outbreak of the insurrection in Caesarea.]
The movement, through which the tumults were changed into war,
proceeded from Caesarea. In this urban community--originally Greek,
and then remodelled by Herod after the pattern of the colonies of
Alexander--which had developed into the first seaport of Palestine,
Greeks and Jews dwelt, equally entitled to civic privileges, without
distinction of nation and confession, the latter superior in number
and property. But the Hellenes, after the model of the Alexandrians,
and doubtless under the immediate impression of the occurrences of the
year 38, impugned the right of citizenship of the Jewish members of the
community by way of complaint to the supreme authority. The minister of
Nero,[181] Burrus († 62), decided in their favour. It was bad to make
citizenship in a town formed on Jewish soil and by a Jewish government
a privilege of the Hellenes; but it may not be forgotten how the
Jews behaved just at that time towards the Romans, and how naturally
they suggested to the Romans the conversion of the Roman capital and
the Roman headquarters of the province into a purely Hellenic urban
community. The decision led, as might be conceived, to vehement street
tumults, in which Hellenic scoffing and Jewish arrogance seem to have
almost balanced each other, particularly in the struggle for access
to the synagogue; the Roman authorities interfered, as a matter of
course, to the disadvantage of the Jews. These left the town, but were
compelled by the governor to return, and then all of them were slain in
a street riot (6th August 66). This the government had at any rate not
commanded, and certainly had not wished; powers were unchained which
they themselves were no longer able to control.
[Sidenote: Outbreak of the insurrection in Jerusalem.]
[Sidenote: Eleazar.]
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