Relations of the Jewish People to the Roman and the Persian Empires

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The Jews in the Roman and Persian Empires

The first century AD can be described as the period of `tranquility Jewish communities thrived in many parts of the Roman and Parthian Empires . The Jews were protected under Roman law and allowed to practice their religion without much constraint . Indeed , Jewish communities can be found in Syria , Iberia , Egypt , Armenia , and Parthia . In Rome , the Jews were allowed to establish synagogues and centers of religious learning . The Jewish community paid a yearly maintenance tax to

the Roman government

In Judea , however , the Jews were in constant conflict with Roman authorities . Rising tax demands , famine , and political discontent led to a major rebellion in 69 A .D . The Roman emperor commanded a large army to subdue the rebels . The historian Josephus wrote that the purpose of the rebellion was to `regain Jewish independence ' For months , the Roman army paid siege on Jerusalem

Finally , the Romans captured the city and burned the temple to the ground . The Jews were dispersed in many parts of the empire . In Persia the Jewish communities were regularly harassed by Parthian officials The Jews were suspected of spying for the Romans . This was not the only issue . The Jews did not recognize the nominal authority of the Parthian monarch in the areas of religion and learning

The spread of the Christian religion in the Roman Empire and its subsequent adoption as the state religion proved detrimental to the Jewish religion . Emperor Constantine the...