The Pax Romana

An explanation of the history of the Jewish people between the Hellenistic reform and the Herodian dynasty, as well as a look at key aspects of the Hellenistic and Roman culture at this time can help determine if the Pax Romana was a benefit or detriment to the Jewish people. I intend to provide a brief history of the Jewish people, as well as some major events of Greek and Roman history during this time before I explain why the Pax Romana was ultimately a benefit to the Jewish people. Hellenistic age began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, when his successors began to fight for control of his former territory and Greek/Hellenistic influences began to spread throughout the world, including the Jewish people (VanderKam, 11). The first of Alexander’s successors was Ptolemy I, who was able to capture Jerusalem by coming to make a sacrifice on the Sabbath, a day on which the Jews would not fight, and instead taking over the city and claiming Judea (VanderKam, 12). Under the reign of Ptolemy II, the Torah was translated into Greek, a significant event in the history of the Jewish people (VanderKam, 13-14). This translation was known as the Septuagint, after the 72, who were said to have translated it (VanderKam, 14). The second major event of the Ptolemaic era was the Tobiad Romance. The Tobiad’s were a wealthy and important Jewish family, who had curried favor with the Ptolemaic kings, however when the Tobiad family patriarch died his sons began to feud, leading to a civil war in Judea and the eventual take over by the Seleucid kingdom (VanderKam, 14-16). Judea and the Jewish people became a part of the Seleucid kingdom under the reign of Antiochus III, who allowed them to follow their own laws and traditions and repaid them for their held during his war with the Ptolemaic empire and the damage the people had suffered (VanderKam, 16-17). …show more content…
Antiochus III was also responsible for moving some of the Jewish people throughout his empire spreading their beliefs and traditions to other parts of the world (VanderKam, 17). When Antiochus IV became king, he began to meddle in the appointment of the high priest, stripping Onias of the position and giving it to Onias’ brother Jason (VanderKam, 18). Antiochus IV would continue to switch out high pries during his reign, however this was not the only action he took against the Jewish people. Antiochus IV attacked the city of Jerusalem multiple times, ransacking the temple and claiming the city as his citadel (VanderKam, 19-20). After taking the city, he declared all religious practices he disagreed with illegal, effectively making it impossible for the Jews to practice their religion and leading to the origins of a revolt, spearheaded by the Hasmonean family (VanderKam, 20-21). The Hasmonean family would fight for Jewish religious independence and autonomy from the Seleucid regime,earning the name Maccabee for their family, and eventually winning some autonomy for the Jewish state in 140 BCE (VanderKam, 21-24). The Hasmonean dynasty would last until 63 BCE when Pompey sacked Jerusalem bringing the city, Judea, and the Jewish people under Roman control (VanderKam, 32). After Rome gain control of Judea, they put Hyrcanus in the position of high priest, making him the leader of the Jewish people (VanderKam, 32-33). Hyrcanus proved to be an ineffective ruler and his mistakes had to be cleaned up by Antipater and his sons, however, Hyrcanus and the Jewish became jealous of the Antipater family’s power and so Antipater’s son Herod was put on trial multiple times (VanderKam, 35). Having beaten conviction on his charges, Herod traveled to Rome and gained the support of Mark Antony and Octavian, who declared him king of Judea, beginning the Herodian dynasty in 37 BCE (VanderKam, 35-36). Herod became known as a great builder, creating new cities and mass fortresses as well as revamping the temple during his reign as king (VanderKam, 37). Herod’s successor, his son Archelaus, had a cruel and short reign, which ended with his banishment, thus ending the Herodian dynasty (VanderKam, 38). While Judea and the Jewish people underwent constant regime changes the Hellenistic and Roman worlds underwent important historical changes at the same time. After