In 66 CE, the
First Jewish–Roman War began. The revolt was put down by the future Roman emperors
Vespasian and
Titus. In the
Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the Romans destroyed much of the
Temple in Jerusalem and, according to some accounts, plundered artifacts from the Temple, such as the
Menorah.
Yohanan ben Zakkai, who opposed the war, negotiated with Vespasian for the safety of he and his supporters.
[17] Impressed by Yohanan's bravery and (ultimately correct) prediction that Vespasian would one day be Emperor, he granted them safe passage to and the right to settle in
Yavneh, which as a result would go on to become an important cultural center of Jewish life in the Empire.
Jews continued to live in their land in significant numbers, the
Kitos War of 115–117 notwithstanding, until
Julius Severus ravaged Judea while putting down the
Bar Kokhba revolt of 132–136. 985 villages were destroyed and most of the Jewish population of central Judaea was essentially wiped out – killed, sold into slavery, or forced to flee.
[18] Banished from Jerusalem, which was renamed
Aelia Capitolina, the Jewish population now centered on
Galilee,
[19] initially at
Yavneh.
After the
Jewish-Roman wars (66–135),
Hadrian changed the name of
Iudaea province to
Syria Palaestina and
Jerusalem to
Aelia Capitolina in an attempt to erase the
historical ties of the Jewish people to the region.
[20] Though other explanations have also been proposed,
[21] and an alternative theory is that the renaming efforts preceded and helped precipitate the rebellion.
[22]In addition, after 70, Jews and Jewish
Proselytes were only allowed to practice their religion if they paid the
Jewish tax, and after 135 were barred from Jerusalem except for the day of
Tisha B'Av.
