Synopses & Reviews
Goodman examines the background of the AD 66 Judean revolt against Rome. He attempts to explain both the rebellion itself and its temporary success by discussing the role of the Jewish ruling class in the sixty years preceding the war and in the independent state that lasted until AD 70. The author shows that the revolt's ultimate cause was a misunderstanding by Rome of the status criteria of Jewish society.
Review
"This brief review cannot do justice to Goodman's substantive and provocative book. He has presented a plausible, well-argued, and significant contribution to the debate surrounding the reasons for the Jewish War. I heartily recommend it." Journal of Biblical Literature"This is a well-written and persuasive book. Goodman reads Josephus with considerable political insight and a keen eye for detail. Re-read Josephus on the War; then read Goodman." The Expository Times"This is one of those rare books from which one learns something new on almost every page. It goes without saying that it will be required reading for all students of Judaea in the intertestamentary period. It should also be on the desk of anyone with a serious interest in Roman provincial history and society." Journal of Jewish Studies
Synopsis
How Rome's misunderstanding of the status criteria of Jewish society led to the revolt of AD 66.
Synopsis
This examination of the background of the AD 66 Judaean revolt against Rome attempts to explain the rebellion as well as its temporary success by discussing the role of the Jewish ruling class sixty years preceding it and in the dependent state that lasted until AD 70.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: (i) The problem; (ii) The conventional explanations; (iii) Civil war, the ruling class and revolt; Part I. The Ruling Class AD 6-66: 2. The new ruling class AD 6; 3. Problems facing the ruling class: economic and social; 4. Problems facing the ruling class: religious ideology; 5. Why the ruling class failed; Part II. Faction Struggle within the Ruling Class: 6. Reactions to failure: the ruling class AD 6-66; 7. The outbreak of revolt; 8. The independent Jewish state AD 67-70; 9. Trends in faction politics AD 50-70; Part III. The Aftermath of the Revolt: 10. The Roman reaction.