Nadene Goldfoot
Rome had discovered Judah in about 63 BCE and established themselves there by occupation, taking over from the Greeks who had overwhelmed them earlier. General Pompey of Rome held a siege of Jerusalem in 63 BCE and had entered the area called the HOLY OF HOLIES, of the 2nd Temple of Solomon. The Romans ruled Judea as a vassal kingdom and a province until the First Jewish–Roman War in 66–73 CE. They occupied the land for 133 years before destroying it with fire in 70 CE.
The Holy of Holies, (
The Purpose of the Holy of Holies :
- The Holy of Holies was the dwelling-place of the "name" of God
- The Ark of the Covenant represented the throne of the Lord
- John Hyrcanus II (died 30 bc, Jerusalem) was the high priest of Judaea from 76 to 40 bcE, and, with his brother Aristobulus II, last of the Maccabean (Hasmonean) dynastic rulers.
- Pompey had entered the temple: a sacriIege, but left the treasure. Hyrcanus II was appointed High Priest and Antipater the Idumaean is appointed governor by the Romans. When his father, Alexander Jannaeus, died in 76,BCE Hyrcanus was appointed high priest, and on his mother’s death in 67 BCE he assumed the rulership of Judaea. After a troubled reign of three months, his warlike brother Aristobulus drove him from power.
- Antipater (died 43 bcE) was the Idumaean founder of the Herodian dynasty in Judaea. Antipater gained power in Judaea by making himself useful to the Romans. In return for Antipater’s support, Caesar appointed him procurator of Judaea. Although Antipater was assassinated by a political rival, his son, Herod I the Great, was later made king of Judaea by the Romans.
- 57–55 BCE: Aulus Gabinius, proconsul of Syria, split the former Hasmonean Kingdom into five districts of legal and religious councils known as sanhedrin based at Jerusalem, Sepphoris (Galilee), Jericho, Amathus (Perea) and Gadara.
- During the Roman period in Judea, the Sanhedrin primarily functioned in Jerusalem within the Temple Mount complex, although after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Sanhedrin is documented to have relocated to the city of Yavne where they were allowed to continue their judicial activities under Roman oversight; this was facilitated by Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai who negotiated with the Roman emperor, Vespasian, to establish the Sanhedrin in Yavne.
- Function: The Sanhedrin served as the highest Jewish court, responsible for interpreting Jewish law and adjudicating legal disputes.
- Roman oversight: While the Sanhedrin had autonomy in Jewish legal matters, their activities were ultimately subject to Roman authority.
Gaza was rebuilt by Roman General Pompey Magnus, and granted to Herod the Great thirty years later in 66 BCE. Throughout the Roman period, Gaza maintained its prosperity, receiving grants from several different emperors. A diverse, 500-member senate governed the city during this time.
Gaza was granted to Herod the Great by Roman emperor Augustus in 30 BCE, where it formed a separate unit within his kingdom; and Cosgabar, the governor of Idumea, was in charge of the city's affairs. On the division of Herod's kingdom, it was placed under the proconsul of Syria.
After Herod's death in 4 BCE, Augustus annexed it to the Province of Syria. In 66 CE/AD, Gaza was burned down by Jews during their rebellion against the Romans. However, it remained an important city; even more so after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus the following year. Titus passed through Gaza on his march toward to Jerusalem, and again in his return. Following Jerusalem's fall, captives were sold into slavery in Gaza.
Conversion to Christianity in the city was spearheaded and completed under Saint Porphyrius, who destroyed its eight pagan temples between 396 and 420 CE/AD. Gaza was conquered by the Muslim general Amr ibn al-'As in 637 CE/AD and most Gazans adopted Islam during early Muslim rule.
Throughout the Roman period, Gaza was a prosperous city and received grants and attention from several emperors. It was governed by a diverse 500-member senate. Gaza's mint stamped out coins adorned with the busts of gods and emperors, including Gordian III. During his visit in 130 CE, Emperor Hadrian, who favored Gaza, personally inaugurated wrestling, boxing and oratorical competitions in Gaza's new stadium. The city was adorned with many pagan temples, the main cult being that of Marnas. Other temples were dedicated to Zeus, Helios, Aphrodite, Apollo, Athena, and Tyche. With the suppression of the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE), Jewish captives were sold as slaves in Gaza.
History shows that Gaza was never a good place for Jews between the Philistines and the Romans. Look at who had lived there and how they were ruled.
Over half of the Palestinian Arab population fled or urged to leave by their leadership. Jordan and Egypt controlled the rest of the territory assigned by
In 2005, Israel withdrew its settlers and troops from Gaza while retaining control over its borders, seashore and airspace. Following Palestinian legislative elections of 2006, the Quartet conditioned assistance to the PA on its commitment to nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements. Gaza remained a fighting terrorizing group of masked killers from Arafat till October 7th, 2004 and continue.
After an armed takeover of Gaza by Hamas in 2007, Israel imposed a blockade. The Annapolis process of 2007-2008 failed to yield a permanent status agreement. Escalating rocket fire and air strikes in late 2008 culminated in Israeli ground operation “Cast Lead” in Gaza. The UN Security Council adopted resolution 1860. Violations of international law during the Gaza conflict were investigated by the UN (“Goldstone report“).
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