Between Rome And Jerusalem

Sicker sheds new light on the political circumstances surrounding the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. He places the 300-year history of Judaea from the Hasmoneans to Bar Kokhba, 167 B.C.E.–135 C.E. in the context of Roman history and Judaea's geostrategic role in Rome's geopolitics in the Middle East.

However, because of the unique character of its religion and culture, which bred an intense nationalism unknown elsewhere in the ancient world, Judaea turned out to be a weak link holding the Roman Empire in the east together. As such, it became a factor of some importance in the protracted struggle of Rome and Parthia for hegemony in southwest Asia. Judaea thus took on a political and strategic significance that was grossly disproportionate to its size and made its subjugation and domination an imperative of Roman foreign policy for two centuries, from Pompeius to Hadrian. In effect, the history of the period may be viewed as the story of the conflict between Roman imperialism and Judaean nationalism. A fresh look at ancient Middle Eastern and Roman history that will be invaluable for students and scholars of ancient history, post-biblical Jewish history and of Christian origins.

Sheds new light on the political circumstances surrounding the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity.

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Arguing that neither a completely Jewish nor completely Christian perspective, nor a narrow focus on Palestine will permit an accurate assessment of the politics of Roman Judea, Sicker asks why the region was so important to the Roman Empire. He concludes it was neither its religious or cultural features nor resources, but only its geographical position. He is convinced that Roman officials intuitively understood grand strategies that were beyond the understanding of their historians and chroniclers. A companion volume, (2000) is one of 14 written by the independent scholar of political science and international affairs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

MARTIN SICKER is a private consultant and lecturer who has written extensively in the fields of political science and international affairs, with a special focus on geopolitics and the history of the Middle East.