HANDOUT FOR NOV. 21: ROMANIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS
Significant Groups in First-Century Judaism:
Sadducees: Traditional Temple priesthood, emphasizing sacrifice and ritual.
Pharisees: Diaspora synagogue leaders, emphasizing study of scripture (Torah). Founders of later Rabbinic Judaism.
Zealots: Political extremists, advocating armed rebellion against Rome.
Essenes: Religious extremists, who separated themselves from society and awaited the end of the world. The "Dead Sea Scrolls" may reflect their views.
Chronology:
4 BC: Death of Herod. Judaea becomes Roman province.
20-36 AD: Pontius Pilate governor in Judaea. According to Roman sources, "nothing much happened" during his term of office.
41-54 AD: Reign of Claudius. Conquest of Britain. Debate over admission of provincials to Senate. Riots between Greeks and Jews in Alexandria.
54-68: Nero.
66-70: Jewish revolt in Judaea eventually suppressed by Rome. Jerusalem and Temple destroyed.
68-69: "Year of the Four Emperors." Civil war sparked by death of Nero ends with Vespasian (69-79) as emperor.
98-117: Trajan. During this time, Tacitus writes his histories.
117-138: Hadrian.
132-135: Jewish revolt under Bar Kochba is suppressed. Jerusalem destroyed again, and Jews permanently expelled from city.
161-180: Marcus Aurelius, the "philosopher emperor." Last of the so-called "Good Emperors."
180-192: Commodus.
192-193: More civil war.
193-235: Dynasty of the Severans.
212: Emperor Caracalla extends universal citizenship to all free inhabitants of empire. Now everyone is "Roman."
235-284: Third Century Crisis. Constant civil wars and barbarian invasions; emperors are provincial soldiers elected and deposed by the army.
284-305: Roman empire recovers under Diocletian.
Roman citizens are now divided into two categories:
Honestiores, the elite (includes senators, equestrians, decurions, town councillors). Legal privileges, exemption from many taxes. Immune from physical punishment.
Humiliores, everyone else. Ordinary people, with fewer rights. Can legally be flogged, tortured.