Last week we explained how it happened that Judea (יהודה = Israel) ceased to be an independent state and was first transformed into a vassal state of Rome and then, at the time of Emperor August, a Roman province.
Like the Greeks 100 years earlier, Rome tried to end Judaism. Romans encouraged pagans to settle in Israel by exempting them from taxes. Rome also tried to impose their cult. And there was a famous event that exposed the Jewish people virtually to its extinction, in the time of Caligula.
Caligula was the emperor of the Roman empire between the years 37 and 41 of the common era. The eccentricities of this emperor can only be justified by the presumption of mental insanity. Around the year 40 Caligula proclaimed himself a god. He knocked down the head of the statues of Roman idols and replaced them by his own bust. In Rome he built two temples to his worship. And he put his divinity to a test with the Jews. First he command to erect and place his statue in the synagogues of Alexandria, where there was an important Jewish community. The Jews opposed vehemently and even the Roman procurator, Flacus, refused to obligate the Jews to erect Caligul’as statues. Caligula reacted by removing Flacus from his post and having him executed.
Towards the end of the reign of Caligula, a proclamation was sent out for a statue of the Roman Emperor to be built within the Temple walls in Jerusalem. This command broke the Jewish law of idolatry and was therefore rejected and strongly opposed by Jews in Palestine, most notably by the large peasant population. To institute this proclamation newly appointed Procurator of Syria Petronius was sent along with two legions of soldiers to complete the task. It is important to note that this was the first time in the history of Roman occupation that the religious autonomy of the Jewish people was defied. It was a direct challenge to their principles and religious identity. The emperor’s proclamation was to be put in place by any means necessary. A time after Petronius’ arrival in the port city of Acre, he was met by tens of thousands of Jews who travelled from the countryside to petition him not to violate the laws of their forefathers. The resolve of the Jewish people was so strong that if Petronius was intent on erecting the statue of Caesar, they would willingly bare their necks and die rather than break their traditional laws. Noting the incredible dedication of the peasant crowds, Petronius elected to travel inland to Tiberias along the Sea of Galilee to survey the resolve and convictions of Jewish peasants there. There he was met with an even larger contingent of Jewish peasants willing to give their lives for their faith. They also proved unwilling to coax into war with Rome. For forty days they stayed in Tiberias, risking death before Petronius to prevent the construction of the monument. In addition to the dramatic sit-in, Jewish peasants across Judea chose to withdraw form society both economically and socially. Farmers completely abandoned planting fresh crops in spring. Petronius eventually wrote to Caligula of his inability to erect the statue and his willingness to face the consequences. In face of what happened before to Flacus, this would have meant death for his incompetence. Providentially, early in 41 CE Caligula was assassinated in a historic conspiracy organized by his own imperial guard.
In this difficult time Jews were united and resolute in keeping our religious principles, and HaShem was on our side.
The new Roman emperor, Claudius. (41-54 CE), was better with the Jews. Claudius restored the autonomy of Judea and allowed the Jews to have their own king Agrippa. Agrippa (known also as “Herod Agrippas I”) was very respectful of the Tora and its laws and protected the Bet haMiqdash. His reign was remembered by the Jews as very positive and favorable. But it lasted only for three years.… Agrippa died in the year 44.
As we shall see in the next few days, after the death of Agrippa a very bitter and difficult period begins for Am Israel, which culminated in the destruction of Bet haMiqdash in the year 68 CE.
