A successful but ultimately self defeating revolt

The first Jewish revolt against the Roman occupation in Judea ended in 70 CE and resulted in the destruction of the second Jewish Temple. The Jews then waited for permission to rebuild the Temple which was central to their religious practice. The Roman emperor Hadrian decided to rebuild Jerusalem as a Roman city in 129 CE and the Jews finally initiated the second revolt in 132 CE. The revolt was very successful in that they appear to have destroyed and entire Roman Legion and Hadrian had to divert one third of the entire Roman army to end the revolt in 135 CE. At this point Hadrian made it perfectly clear to the Jews that the Temple would not be rebuilt. He also enacted a series of anti-Jewish edits which included a prohibition against circumcision. The land was also renamed Palestine which is the origin of the current use of that term in the region.

(The Great Courses – The Holy Land)

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