Jewish Revolts The Jewish Revolts against Rome (sometimes called the Jewish Wars). A series of armed conflicts, small scale and large, between the Jews and the Romans that spanned almost two centuries. They provide the overall historical background for understanding the New Testament texts.

The Roman Empire controlled Israel’s territories from 63 bc into the fourth century ad (Goodman, Rome and Jerusalem; Johnson, History of the Jews). Apart from the Graeco-Roman dominance, this period of Israel’s history was characterized by substantial internal divisions, with groups including: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Qumranites, Hellenists, Herodians, Samaritans, Proselytes, Galilean and Diaspora Jews (Josephus, Antiquities XVIII 1.2–6; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History IV 22.7; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 80; see also Mark 3:6; Acts 6:1; 2:11; 9:29; Luke 10:25–37; 17:11–19; John 4:1–40). Roman rule also precipitated the emergence of newly organized nationalistic revolutionary groups. According to Josephus, a radical Jewish movement of Zealots (ζηλωταὶ, zēlōtai/קַנָאִים, qana'im) believed that political and religious freedom for Israel should be achieved by any means necessary (Josephus, Antiquities XVIII. 1.6). Zealots, and among them the Sicarii (σικάριοι, sikarioi), were known for violent opposition to Rome (Acts 21:28). Unmoved even by death, they were responsible for much of the unrest during this period (Johnson, History of the Jews; Scheindlin, Short History; Schäfer, History of the Jews).