History Cafe #9 - The Jewish–Roman wars

The Jewish–Roman wars in first and second centuries AD were some of the most dramatic events in the history of the Roman empire, and play an instrumental role in the theology of both Christianity and Judaism.

Shrouded in myth as they are, we'll try to untangle the flow of events and their significance, examining the actual sources while taking their reliability with pinch of salt (looking at you Flavius Josephus!)

Location: Central London, exact location TDB.

Questions:

• What was it really about - a nation seeking independence from an empire? A religious war? A run of the mill feud over taxes and tariffs?
• The Jewish and the Christian theological understanding of the event - what are they and do they align with historical evidence?
• Where does Jesus fit into the story?

Sources:
Rest is History 175-176

Legends of Destructions (if you find a way to watch it)

Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews