The Ruling Class of Judaea: The Origins of the Jewish Revolt against Rome, A.D. 66-70 [Hardcover]

Martin Goodman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 25, 1987 | ISBN-10: 0521334012 | ISBN-13: 978-0521334013

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.

Editorial Reviews

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

Book Description

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.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (December 25, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521334012
• ISBN-13: 978-0521334013
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,135,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complex treatment of complex Judean history, October 17, 2005

By 

Abraham Aamidor (Indianapolis, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ruling Class of Judaea: The Origins of the Jewish Revolt against Rome, A.D. 66-70 (Paperback)

The Jewish War (66-70 AD) is an underappreciated historical crisis. But the internecine battles between various Jewish sects, and collectively against Roman rule, was one of the bloodiest, most dramatic and fateul in history. The fact that future Caesers Vespasian and Titus personally led the battles against the Jews shows how important the war was in Roman eyes, and the famous or infamous diaspora (dispersion) of the Jews was sealed with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The defeat of the Jews is so important that many professing Christians are at pains to believe at least some of the Gospels were written before 70 AD, for if they were written after 70 AD, the motive to spin history to favor of the Romans, or at least exonerate them in significant ways, in the trial and death of Jesus is clear - the Romans were the victors and the Jews were losers in any case. Goodman's treatment of the war is not the most accessible - it is very, very scholarly, and eclectic in some ways, as it is more concerned with the Jewish upper classes per se than other histories of this period(see anything Michael Grant has written for comparison). Still, the book is rich in footnotes and annotations and the serious student of this period will benefit from the book, though this probably should not be the first book about the Jewish War a beginner might read. Modern political scientists will see more - much more - than slight anticipation of the Muslim fundamentalist wars of today in the Jewish War, too. The different Jewish factions, and their devotion to strict interpretations of Jewish laws and symbols, as well as their anti-imperial sentiments and propensity for violence will make you wonder if you're really reading about antiquity, or are reading this morning's newspaper.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent history book, February 10, 2008

By 

Jeri Nevermind "loves to read" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ruling Class of Judaea: The Origins of the Jewish Revolt against Rome, A.D. 66-70 (Paperback)

The Jewish war with Rome, which lasted from 66-70 AD, was a pivotal moment in history. Goodman asks how the war came about and he finds some surprising answers.

The Romans had a brilliant technique for dealing with their conquered territories. They would "build upon existing institutions, and depose the existing local leaders from power only when it seemed absolutely necessary" (p 29).

But there was a problem when it came to the Jews. Throughout most of the Roman world, rich landowners drew much of their prestige from patronage. Among the Jews, status was more likely to be tied to priestly function, and even a very poor man could be highly respected if he knew the scriptures well. On the other hand, the vast wealth of a tax collector or the power of a Herod drew no respect from the populace.

Religion and ideas--that was what counted in Jewish society. Many believed God would intervene and bring about a ruler from David's line. Josephus blames Judas of Galilee for the argument that "Jews should prefer death to submission to any mortal master instead of God" (p 93).

Goodman argues that the ruling class, for the most part, supported the war, and he gathers an impressive set of facts to prove it. Josephus suggested that the rulers stayed in Jerusalem only due to a pious wish to save the temple from destruction. Yet not only is this not true, as Goodman shows, the rulers, were, in fact, in charge throughout most of the war.

Over a million Jews died in the war. The few survivors were either crucified or shipped to Rome as slaves.

And afterwards, so much was changed. The temple was gone, and with it, all sacrifice and the entire priestly structure. To be a priest you had to prove your lineage, and all these papers were burned with the fire that destroyed the temple.