Chapter I: Front Matter

HISTORY OF THE JEWS

HISTORY OF THE
JEWS

BY
HEINRICH GRAETZ

VOL. II

FROM THE REIGN OF HYRCANUS (135 B. C. E.) TO THE
COMPLETION OF THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD (500 C. E.)

PHILADELPHIA

THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA

5717-1956

Copyright, 1893, by
THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA

_All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the publisher: except by a reviewer
who may quote brief passages in a review to be
printed in a magazine or newspaper._

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

JOHN HYRCANUS.

The Crowning Point of the Period--War with Antiochus Sidetes
--Siege of Jerusalem--Treaty of Peace--The Parthian War--
Hyrcanus joins Antiochus--Successful campaigns of Hyrcanus
against the Samaritans and Idumæans--The Idumæans forced
to embrace Judaism--Destruction of the Samaritan Temple at
Gerizim and of the Capital, Samaria--Internal Affairs--
The Parties: Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes--Their Rise
and Constitution--Their Doctrines and their Relations to
one another--The Synhedrion--Strained Relations between
Hyrcanus and the Pharisees--Death of Hyrcanus _page_ 1

135-106 B. C. E.

CHAPTER II.

HYRCANUS'S SUCCESSORS, ARISTOBULUS I, ALEXANDER JANNÆUS, AND
SALOME ALEXANDRA.

Character of Aristobulus--Antigonus--Mythical Account of
his Death--Alexander Jannæus: his Character and Enterprises
--His Support of the Pharisees--Simon ben Shetach--
Alexander's Breach with the Pharisees, and its Consequences--
His last Wars and Death--Salome Alexandra's Relations to the
Opposing Parties--The Synhedrion--Judah ben Tabba and Simon
ben Shetach--Institutions against the Sadducees--Party
Hatred--Diogenes--Persecution of the Sadducees--Death of
Alexandra _page_ 35

106-69 B. C. E.

CHAPTER III.

HYRCANUS II. ARISTOBULUS II.

Brothers contend for the throne--Arrangement between the
Brothers--The Idumæan Antipater--Hyrcanus's weakness--
Aretas besieges Jerusalem--Interference of Rome--Pompey
at Jerusalem--The Judæan colony in Rome--Flaccus in Asia
Minor--Cicero's oration against the Judæans--Weakening of
the power of the Synhedrion--Shemaya and Abtalion--Violent
death of Aristobulus and his son Alexander--Julius Cæsar
and the Judæans--Antipater's sons Phasael and Herod--Herod
before the Synhedrion--Operations of Cassius in Judæa--
Malich--Antigonus as King--Herod escapes to Rome _page_ 57

69-40 B. C. E.

CHAPTER IV.

ANTIGONUS AND HEROD.

Weakness of Antigonus and Herod's Strength of Character--
Contest for the Throne--Herod becomes King--Proscriptions
and Confiscations--Herod's Policy--Abolition of the
Hereditary Tenure of the High Priesthood--Death of the High
Priest Aristobulus--War with the Arabians--The Earth-quake
--Death of the last of the Hasmonæans--Hillel becomes the
Head of the Synhedrion--His System of Tradition--Menahem
the Essene--Shammai and his School--Mariamne--Herod's
Magnificence and Passion for Building--Herod rebuilds the
Temple--Herod executes his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus--
Antipater and his Intrigues--The Pharisees under Herod--The
Destruction of the Roman Eagle--Execution of Antipater and
Death of Herod _page_ 84

40-3 B. C. E.

CHAPTER V.

THE HERODIANS.

The Family of Herod--Partition of the Kingdom of Judæa
--Revolt against Archelaus--Sabinus and Varus--The
Adventurer-Chief Judas the Galilæan--Confirmation of
Herod's Will--Archelaus as Ruler--His brief Reign and his
Banishment--Judæa becomes a Roman Province--The Revolt
against the Census--The Schools of Hillel and Shammai--
Judas Founder of the Party of Zealots--Onerous Taxation--
Fresh Hostility of the Samaritans--Expulsion of the Judæans
from Rome by Tiberias--Pontius Pilate _page_ 118

3 B. C. E.-37 C. E.

CHAPTER VI.

MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS AND ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY.

The Messianic Hope--Various Conceptions of the Expected
Messiah--The Essene Idea of the Kingdom of Heaven--
John the Baptist, his Work and Imprisonment--Jesus of
Nazareth continues John's Labors--Story of his Birth--His
Success--His Relations to Judaism and the Sects--His
Miraculous Healing of the Sick and Exorcism of Demons--His
Secret Appearance as the Messiah--His Journey to Judæa--
Accusations against him, and his Condemnation--The First
Christian Community and its Chiefs--The Ebionites--Removal
of Pilate from Judæa--Vitellius, Governor of Syria, favors
the Judæans _page_ 141

28-37 C. E.

CHAPTER VII.

AGRIPPA I. HEROD II.

Character of Agrippa--Envy of the Alexandrian Greeks towards
the Judæans--Anti-Judæan Literature--Apion--Measures
against the Judæans in Alexandria--Flaccus--Judæan
Embassy to Rome--Philo--Caligula's Decision against the
Judæan Embassy--Caligula orders his Statue to be placed in
the Temple--The Death of Caligula relieves the Judæans--
Agrippa's Advance under Claudius--His Reign--Gamaliel the
Elder and his Administration--Death of Agrippa--Herod II--
The False Messiah, Theudas--Death of Herod II _page_ 174

37-49 C. E.

CHAPTER VIII.

SPREAD OF THE JUDÆAN RACE, AND OF JUDAISM.

Distribution of the Judæans in the Roman Empire and in Parthia
--Relations of the various Judæan Colonies to the Synhedrion
--Judæan Bandits in Naarda--Heathen Attacks upon Judaism
--Counter Attacks upon Heathenism by Judæan Writers--The
Judæan Sibyls--The Anti-heathen Literature--The Book of
Wisdom--The Allegorists--Philo's Aims and Philosophical
System--Proselytes--The Royal House of Adiabene--The
Proselyte Queen Helen--The Apostle Paul--His Character--
Change in his Attitude towards the Pharisees--His Activity
as a Conversionist--His Treatment of the Law of Moses--The
Doctrines of Peter--Judaic-Christians and Heathen Christians
_page_ 200

40-49 C. E.

CHAPTER IX.

AGRIPPA II. AND OUTBREAK OF THE WAR.

Position of Affairs in Judæa--Roman Oppression--Character
of Agrippa II--The last High Priest--The Zealots and the
Sicarii--Eleazar ben Dinai--Quarrel with the Samaritans
--Violence in Cæsarea--The Procurators--Florus--
Insurrection in Cæsarea--Bloodshed in Jerusalem--The
Peace and War Parties--The Leader of the Zealots, Eleazar
ben Ananias--Menahem, chief of the Zealots--Massacres of
Heathens and Judæans--Defeat of the Romans--The Synhedrion
and its President, Simon ben Gamaliel--Position of the
Synhedrion _page_ 233

49-66 C. E.

CHAPTER X.

THE WAR IN GALILEE.

Description of Galilee--Its Population and Importance--The
Rising in Galilee--John of Gischala--Flavius Josephus, his
Education and Character--His Conduct as Governor of Galilee
--Commencement of the War--Overthrow of Gabara--Siege and
Capture of Jotapata--Surrender of Josephus to the Romans--
Cruelty of Vespasian---Siege and Capture of Gamala and Mount
Tabor--Surrender of Gischala--Escape of John of Gischala to
Jerusalem _page_ 272

66-67 C. E.

CHAPTER XI.

DESTRUCTION OF THE JUDÆAN STATE.

Galilæan Fugitives in Jerusalem--Condition of the Capital--
Internal Contests--The Idumæans--Eleazar ben Simon, John of
Gischala, and Simon Bar-Giora--Progress of the War--Affairs
in Rome--Vespasian created Emperor--Siege of Jerusalem
by Titus--Heroic Defense--Famine--Fall of the Fortress
Antonia--Burning of the Temple--Destruction of the City--
Number of the Slain _page_ 291

67-70 C. E.

CHAPTER XII.

THE AFTER-THROES OF THE WAR.

Sufferings of the Prisoners--The Arena--Cruelty of Titus
--Enmity of the Antiochians--Triumph of the Emperor on the
occasion of the Conquest of Judæa--End of Simon Bar-Giora
and John of Gischala--Coins to Commemorate the Roman Triumph
--Fall of the last Fortresses: Herodium, Masada, and Machærus
--Resistance of the Zealots in Alexandria and Cyrene--End
of the Temple of Onias--The Last of the Zealots--Death
of Berenice and Agrippa--Flavius Josephus and his Writings
_page_ 311

70-73 C. E.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE SYNHEDRION AT JABNE.

Foundation of the School at Jabne--Jochanan ben Zakkai
--The Last of the Herodians--Judæa and Rome--The
Tanaites--Gamaliel II. appointed Patriarch--The Power of
Excommunication--Deposition and Restoration of the Patriarch
--Steps towards Collecting the Mishna--Eliezer ben Hyrcanus
--Joshua ben Chananya--Akiba and his System--Ishmael--
Condition of the Synhedrion _page_ 321

70-117 C. E.

CHAPTER XIV.

INNER LIFE.

Inner Life of the Jews--Sphere of Action of the Synhedrion
and the Patriarch--The Order of Members and Moral Condition
of the Common People--Relation of Christianity towards
Judaism--Sects--Jewish Christians--Pagan Christians
--Ebionites--Nazarenes--The Gnostics--Regulations of
the Synhedrion against Christianity--Proselytes at Rome--
Aquilas and his translation of the Bible--Berenice and Titus
--Domitian--Josephus and the Romans _page_ 360

CHAPTER XV.

REVOLT OF THE JEWS AGAINST TRAJAN AND HIS SUCCESSORS.

Trajan and Asia--Revolt of the Jews--Hadrian--The Jewish
Sibylline Books--The Attempted Rebuilding of the Temple--
The Ordinances of Usha--Bar-Cochba--Akiba's Part in the War
--Bar-Cochba's Victories--Suppression of the Revolt--Siege
and Fall of Bethar _page_ 393

96-138 C. E.

CHAPTER XVI.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR OF BAR-COCHBA.

Turnus Rufus persecutes the Jews--The Ten Martyrs--The Book
of Tobit--Relations between Judaism and Christianity--The
Return of the Schools to Palestine--The Synod at Usha--Meïr
--Simon ben Jochai--The Babylonian Synhedrion--Antonius
Pius and Aurelius Verus--The Revolt against Rome--The
Patriarchate of Simon _page_ 421

135-170 C. E.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE PATRIARCHATE OF JUDAH I.

The Patriarch Judah I.--His Authority and Reputation--
Completion of the Mishna--The Last Generation of Tanaites
--Condition of the Jews under Marcus Aurelius, Commodus,
Septimius Severus, and Antonius Caracalla--Character and
contents of the Mishna--Death of Judah _page_ 450

175-219 C. E.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE FIRST AMORAÏM.

Judah II.--Friendliness of Alexander Severus towards the Jews
--Joshua ben Levi--Hillel instructs Origen in Hebrew--The
_Hexapla_--The Palestinean Amoraïm--Chanina--Jochanan
--Simon ben Lakish--Joshua, the Hero of Fable--Simlai,
the Philosophical Agadist--Porphyry comments on the Book of
Daniel _page_ 479

219-280 C. E.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE JEWS OF THE PARTHIAN EMPIRE.

Increasing importance of the Jewish Community in Babylonia--
The Prince of the Captivity--The Babylonian Amoraim--Abba
Areka (Rab) and his royal friend Artaban--Samuel and King
Shabur--Important Political Changes under the Neo-Persians--
Anarchy in Rome--Zenobia and the Jews _page_ 503

219-279 C. E.

CHAPTER XX.

THE PATRIARCHATE OF GAMALIEL IV. AND JUDAH III.

The Amoraim in Palestine--Ami and Assi--The Brothers Chiya
and Simon Bar Abba in Tiberias--Abbahu in Cæsarea--The
Emperor Diocletian--Complete Separation from the Samaritans
--Character and Political Position of Abbahu--Huna in
Babylonia--Chama's Generosity--Huna's Contemporaries and
Successors--Judah ben Ezekiel--Chasda of Cafri--Mar
Sheshet--Nachman bar Jacob--Zeïra _page_ 531

279-320 C. E.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE TRIUMPH OF CHRISTIANITY AND ITS RELATIONS TO JUDAISM.

Hillel II.--His Calendar--Heads of Judæan Schools:
Jonah, José, and Jeremiah--The Expansion of Christianity
--Constantine--The Decadence of the Jewish Schools in
Babylonia--The Pumbeditha School--Development of Talmudical
Dialectics--The Persian Queen Ifra and her son Shabur II.--
The Emperor Julian--Favor shown towards the Jews--Proposed
Rebuilding of the Temple--Roman Tolerance _page_ 559

320-375 C. E.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE LAST AMORAÏM.

Decline of the Roman Empire--Ashi and the Redaction of the
Talmud--Jezdijird II--The Jews under the Emperor Theodosius
I and his successors--The extinction of the Patriarchate
--Chrysostom and Ambrosius--Fanaticism of the Clergy--
Jerome and his Jewish Teachers--Mar Zutra--Fifth and Sixth
Generations of Amoraïm--The Jews under Firuz--Jewish
Colonies in India--Completion of the Babylonian Talmud--Its
Spirit and Contents _page_ 604

375-500 C. E.

HISTORY OF THE JEWS.