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Roman Rule in Yeshua’s World

When Yeshua was about 10 years old (6 CE), Judea became part of a larger Roman province, called Iudaea, which was formed by combining Judea proper (biblical Judah) with Samaria and Idumea (biblical Edom). Even though Iudaea is simply derived from the Latin for Judea, many historians use it to distinguish the Roman province from the previous territory and history. Iudaea province did not include Galilee, Gaulanitis (the Golan), nor Peraea or the Decapolis.[i]



Its revenue was of little importance to the Roman treasury, but it controlled the land and coastal sea routes to the bread basket Egypt and was a border province against the Parthian Empire because of the Jewish connections to Babylonia (since the Babylonian exile). Egypt seems to have had grain surpluses often enough, so that they could be stored in state granaries and even be exported. During Roman times the country was one of the bread baskets of Rome.

In Egypt, we find barley cut at the end of six months, and wheat at the end of seven, from the time of sowing. (Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book XVIII, chap. 10)

The capital was at Caesarea, not Jerusalem, which had been the capital for King David, King Hezekiah, King Josiah, the Maccabees and Herod the Great.

Publius Sulpicius Quirinius (Greek Κυρήνιος – Kyrenios or Cyrenius, c. 51 BCE – 21 CE), a Roman aristocrat, became Legate of Syria (Governor) in 6 CE.[i] He conducted the first Roman tax census -- the Census of Quirinius -- the enrollment of the Roman provinces of Syria and Judaea for tax purposes in 6/7 CE. The Census was taken during the reign of Augustus (27 BCE – 14 CE).[ii] It was opposed by the Zealots, who were led by Judas the Galilean, founder of the "Fourth Sect" (Zealots). He is said to have partnered with a man named Zadok (or Saddok). Judas considered the census a plot to subjugate the Jews and prevent them from freedom -- and a sign that other Jews were compliant and comfortable being ruled by pagans.[iii]

Iudaea was not a Senatorial province, nor exactly an Imperial province, but instead was a "satellite of Syria" governed by a prefect who was a knight of the equestrian order (as was Roman Egypt), not a former consul or praetor of senatorial rank. This is a clear reflection of how the Roman authorities viewed the land of the Jews. Pontius Pilate was one of the prefects appointed to govern from 26 to 36 CE. Caiaphas was one of the Roman appointed High Priests of Herod's Temple. He was appointed by the Prefect Valerius Gratus in 18 CE.

Yeshua’s childhood trips with his family to Jerusalem, as well his daily life in the Galilee, would have made him very aware of the tensions between his people and the Romans – as well as those between the Jewish sects over the presence of the Romans on Jewish soil.

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[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iudaea_Province






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