The Jewish War

The Story​

http://imgur.com/ElUxj5t
In the Year 66, in the reign of Nero, the Jewish revolt began. Jews had grown dissatisfied with Roman rule as a result of their taking over the position of high priest, or Kohein Gadol, as well as their disrespect towards the Jews, as shown by the following incident recorded by Josephus.

"The people had assembled in Jerusalem for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Roman cohort stood on guard over the Temple colonnade, armed men always being on duty to forestall any rioting by the vast crowds. One of the soldiers pulled up his garment and bent over indecently, turning his backside to the Jews and making a noise as indecent as his attitude...So violently did the dense mass struggle to escape that they trod on each other, and more than 30,000 were crushed to death. Thus the Feast ended in distress to the whole nation and bereavement to every household." (Josephus Jewish War 2.223)​

Riots grew all across Judea as a result of the Roman-Jewish relations being strained. But the Romans did not react well to this, and Nero asked governor Florus to plunder the Temple, and then arrest high ranking Jews. The response to this as one would think, was not good. Jerusalem was overrun by Jews, driving the Romans and their supporters out. All around Judea, Jews were overrunning fortresses and stealing weapons, like the famous assassins the Siccari, who took over Massada, where they would last until a Roman siege at the end of the war.The legate of Syria, Gellius, brought forward the XII Fulminata, with vexillationes of IV Scythica and VI Ferrata, who took back Sepporis in Galilee, but seeing their weakness, he ordered them sent back. But it was too late. The legion was attacked and destroyed by Jewish zealots. The victory was fine for the Jews, but it was not great, as they realized Rome would return with more troops. Jews escaped Jerusalem in fear leaving in the hands of the extremists. The Temple ordered generals to be arranged, including the famous Josephus. A strategy they decided on was to seize the ports, so no Roman force could land. Meanwhile, Nero appointed Vespasian, a veteran of Germany and Britain, perhaps his best decision as emperor, to bring down Judea.

(Flavius Vespasianus)
Titus, his son, was sent with him, while his other son Domitian was kept hostage by Nero. Leaders in Judea rose among the peasants, leaders seeking power, who were often fighting each other. Their rivalries hampered the pursuit of the war, preventing the Jews from taking Sepporis. Vespasian reinforced Sepporis, and then bringing with him the Tenth Legion Fretensis, and the Fifth Legion Macedonia, with Titus bringing the Fifteenth Legion Apollinaris. He went around Galilee, slowly pacifying the region, capturing leaders such as Josephus, who was saved by giving Vespasian a prophecy. Meanwhile, John of Gischala, a leader of one city captured by Vespasian, engaged in guerilla warfare in the Golan Heights, and then left to Jerusalem, where he crowned himself king. At the same time, the Temple authorities and the Zealots engaged in war with each other, with many civilians fleeing the violence and informing the Romans of it. Vespasian postponed the attack on Jerusalem until the Jews had finished fighting. The Jews, despite this, were hopeful as they had heard of the fighting in Rome, where Nero killed himself, quickly replaced by Galba, who was then assassinated, causing fighting between Vitellius and Otho. Informed about this by Titus, Vespasian decided to claim power for himself, securing support around the empire, while cutting off the food supply in Egypt. In five months he was emperor, just as Josephus predicted. Titus then besieged Jerusalem. The Jews still fought among themselves in the city, with the Zealots destroying the food supply to encourage the Jews to fight. The result as expected, was disaster. The Romans breached the walls of the city, and attacked the Temple. It fell on Tish B'av, the day on which the first temple fell, as well as the date all other disasters, such as the beginning of the Holocaust. That same day, the Temple was destroyed, by, as Josephus claims, soldiers acting against Titus' orders. The Romans killed all resistance, and it now became apparent that this was a war the Jews could not win. Titus left to Rome, leaving the Tenth Legion Fretensis to take down the remaining strongholds, like the famous Masada.

Effects​

The war was over, and with it, many effects occurred due to it. Jews of great number were sent back as slaves. At the same time, Rabbinic Judaism came into existence, as the Jewish faith transformed from a Temple based religion, to one of competing Rabbis, ensuring its survival. The Flavian dynasty came into existence, all because of the army that Vespasian had been granted to fight the revolt. The Colosseum came into existence, payed for by stolen treasures, built by Jewish slaves, under Vespasian and Titus. The coin shown below, is a denarius made to commemorate it.
http://imgur.com/a/ypYif
(All coins depicted are mine)

Sources​

Josephus, the War of the Jews
Livius.com

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Very Nice write-up!

While these are not particularly associated with the Jewish war, any thread of this type needs a post or two of Titus and Vespasian



AR Denarius of Titus, struck at Rome 80 AD
3.21 grams, 18 mm
Laureate bust right
IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
Elephant advancing right
TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P
RIC 115


AR Denarius of Vespasian, Rome Mint 74 AD
RIC II, 3.28 grams, 19.5 mm
IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Laureate head right
PON MAX TRP COS V
Vespasian seated right on curule chair, feet on foot stool, long scepter near vertical behind in right hand, olive branch in left hand.





But this modest bronze is a Judea Capta issue:

 

Nice write up Pompeius, a time in history that I am extremely interested in. I have an As of Titus as Caesar under Vespasian celebrating Victory over the Jews on the sea of Galilee. Rome Titus, VICTORIA NAVALIS SC. 72-73 AD, 11.08gm, 26mm.

 

Recent scholarship sees the war starting not so much because of anti-Roman sentiment among the Jews (although there was plenty of that), but more because of an inter-Polis feud between Jewish Jerusalem and Greek Caesarea Maritima that got out of control. See Steve Mason's The Jewish War - it is certainly the best scholarly treatment of the subject I've yet read.

And to keep it coin related.


Vespasian
AR Denarius, 2.71g
Rome Mint, 69-70 AD
RIC 4 (R), BMC 43, RSC 229
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: IVDAEA in ex.; Jewess (as type of Judaea), draped and veiled, seated r. on ground, head inclined downwards, l. knee drawn up, hand bound behind back and fastened to palm-tree
Acquired from Zuzim Judaea, May 2012.

Ambition sighed: she found it vain to trust
The faithless column and the crumbling bust, ...
Convinced, she now contracts her vast design,
And all her triumphs shrink into a coin.
A narrow orb each crowded conquest keeps,
Beneath her palm here sad Judaea weeps.

Alexander Pope, To Mr. Addison

 

And one from the other side of the walls.

Judaea, First Revolt Shekel, Year 2
Judaea, First Jewish War AR Shekel. Dated year 2 (AD 67/8)
O: Hebrew script read from right to left SKL ISRAL “Shekel of Israel”, the date Shin Bet, "Year Two" of the revolution, above Omer cup with beaded rim
R: Hebrew script YRUSLIM H KDOSA “Jerusalem the Holy” around sprig of three pomegranates.

I second David's recommendation of Mason's The Jewish War.

 

Welcome, Pompeius! Here are a few from both sides also.

 

David showed the more scarce of the two Judaea seated coins. In the other and more common she is not tied but sits holding her head in one hand ad is before a trophy of arms rather than a tree. Deacon shows one of these in the lower left of his poster and there is one below,

 

Lovely coin and great quote.I spent many hours reading these works. My favourite A. Pope quotation is not coin related, but it is a real gem.

Good nature and good sense must ever join
To err is human,to forgive,divine

 

My Judea Capta example, a coin of Titus.

 

Welcome, Pompeius!
A nice write-up which I read with interest.

These are my coins related to the Jewish War:

Vespasian denarius - Judaea.


Vespasian sestertius, Rome - Augusti Victoria.
A type attributed to the victories in Judaea.


Titus as caeasar. Ae As Ludgunum - Judaea Capta


Titus Ae As - Victoria Navalis

 

From what I can see they look like nice coins, but on my system I only see thumbnail pics and when I click on them I get an error message attachment can't be found.

 

Yes, I apologize.
I should not try to have breakfast and post at the same time. Have fixed it now.

 

Beautiful coins, really nice.

 

Excellent post.



Vespasian, 1 July 69 - 24 June 79 A.D.
Silver denarius, RIC II part 1, 362; SRCV I 2317, BMCRE II 74, F, 2.879g, 17.2mm, 195o, Rome mint, 72 - 73 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII, laureate head right; reverse VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victory advancing right, crowning legionary standard with wreath with right, palm across shoulder in left.

"This type likely refers to the victory in Judaea but does not specifically identify that victory."

 

Great thread and great coins. For my first post I present my Vespasian Judea Capta with a portrait that has Otho-like features including his wig...


IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Laur. head of Vespasian right

IVDAEA
Judaea as mourning captive seated right on ground at foot of trophy.

Rome 69-70 AD

RIC 2 (C2); Sear 2296

3.285g

 

Hi and welcome Jay! Your example has such great details on the trophy!

 

Welcome to CoinTalk, @Jay GT4

 

Thanks guys. I know many who are already here. Look forward to contributing.

 

Welcome the board Jay

 

Great coin Jay! Welcome. It is great to see you here.