Romans and Jews: Surprising Ancient Alliance & Privileges

Lesson Transcript

When he got through defeating the Greeks, he came down to Jerusalem and laid seeds to it. And the Romans took control of Judea, but they still, they didn't view the Jews as this conquered, subjugated people. They still viewed them largely as allies, as under their authority, but not as their enemies. They granted them a lot of privileges, such as exemption from military service. They were exempted from worshiping any of the Roman gods. This was a big exemption because the Christians didn't get that.

And the Christians, as we I think all know, were horribly persecuted for unwilling to offer a sacrifice to the Roman Emperor, things like that. That didn't happen to the Jews because the Jews had that alliance. They were given that exemption. So that's how that relationship happened.