Bar Kokhba Revolt (jan 1, 132 – jan 1, 135)

Description:

Potential reasons for the war (Schäfer 2003:146ff) are: (1) prohibition against circumcision (2) Hadrian's intention to refound Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina (3) Haridrians reneged promise to rebuild the Temple. He takes the second reason as the most likely and understands the revolt as a movement of some "pious" minority against Roman and Jewish politics; cf. the Maccabean revolt

Judaean desert finds confirm name of leader is Bar Kosiba; this name is later interpreted in Christian sources as Bar Kokhba ("son of the star") and in rabbinical sources as Bar Koziba ("son of the lie").

Coins with Simon's name bear the title "nasi" (see image, where inscription reads "Shimon Nasi Israel"); Judaean desert documents indicate land ownership by Bar Kokhba, leased out to locals.

The heartland of the revolt is pretty narrowly Judaea. Last holdouts of the rebels starved out in the caves near En Gedi. The cost of war was high for the Romans and for the locals, whose casualties were numerous. Jerusalem was turned into a Roman colony and named Colonia Aelia Capitolina, and Jews were forbidden from entry. The center of Jewish activity (social and intelelctual) moves north to Galilee.

Added to timeline:

Date:

Images: