Rome and an Era of Rebellions in Jerusalem

Seventy years after Antiochus Sidetes, King of Seleucids, besieged Jerusalem in 134 BC, Roman Commander Pompey succeeded in capturing the city in 63 BC,^[1] and for seven centuries (63 BC-638 AD) Jerusalem was ruled by the Romans.^[2]

Although Pompey destroyed the walls and many buildings in Jerusalem when he entered it,^[3]the Romans otherwise led a civilized invasion of the city^[4] and for two centuries the Romans granted Jerusalem, which was inhabited by Nabateans, Arabs, Jews, Egyptians and Phoenicians,^[5] self-government and let its inhabitants rule themselves. However, after the Jewish which resulted in the expulsion of the Jewish population from the city and the official ban on Judaism and Jewish practices, Jerusalem became a Roman colony and was ruled by Roman officials.^[6]

Under Roman rule, Jerusalem prospered commercially, politically and militarily.^[7] Rome built temples, palaces, streets, bridges and dams in Jerusalem. It also minted coins, planted trees and fostered industry and business. Most of the monuments erected under Roman rule were destroyed either during the two Jewish revolts which emerged due to the Roman policies against the Jewish religious traditions or upon the Persian invasion.^[8]

Two other dramatic shifts in the city occurred within the last three centuries of the Roman rule: the increase in popularity of Christianity upon the conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine and the consequent declaration of Christianity as the official religion of the empire. The official declaration happened in AD 330 when the Roman Empire turned into the Empire of Byzantium. Emperor Constantine rebuilt the old city of Byzantium into the new city of Constantinople and declared it the capital of Empire instead of Rome.^[9]

Herod the Great

In 40 BC, Herod, the son of Caesar,^[10] became king of Judea (Palestine) then a Roman colony.^[11] Prior to that, Herod used to be the governor of Galilee. ^[12] Judea remained under his rule from 37 BC-4 BC.^[13]

Herod commissioned the building of castles, streets, wells, towers and great buildings.^[14] The most famous momentum erected in his rule though was his royal palace, Antonia, which was built in 35 BC.^[15] The palace was set on the northern west corner of the upper city close to today’s Jaffa Gate located on the southwest hill.^[16] Historians credit Herod with the repair and strengthening of Jerusalem’s walls.^[17] Throughout his rule, the inhabitants of Jerusalem enjoyed relative religious freedom and Herod actually ordered the reconstruction of the previously destroyed^[18] Jewish temple.^[19]

Jewish rebellions against the Romans

The Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem revolted against Rome twice: in 66-70 AD, and in 132-135 AD under the leadership of Bar Kochba.^[20]

In 66 AD, , seeking political and social independence from the Empire of Rome, the Jews of Jerusalem revolted against the Romans ^[21] In 70 AD, the Roman commander Titus led the fight against them.^[22] He surrounded the city, destroyed its walls, buildings and markets, killed many Jews, destroyed their temple^[23] and restored the city to the Roman rule again.^[24]

The second revolt, occurred in 135 when the Jews under the leadership of Bar Kochba^[25] revolted against the Roman Emperor Hadrian who had destroyed the city and turned it into a center for idols worship.^[26] After the second revolt, Jews were either killed, sold into slavery, or exiled to the far corners of the Roman Empire,^[27] and were prohibited from entering the city by law.^[28]