Bar Kokhba’s Revolt

• Bar Kokhba’s Revolt (132-135 CE), also known as the ‘Third Jewish-Roman War’, was a three year rebellion in Judaea against Roman occupation.
• The Revolt was ruthlessly suppressed over a three year period, after which there was never again any resistance to Roman Rule in Judaea.

The Reason for the Revolt

• Hadrian re-organised Judaea in 130-31 CE.
  • Hadrian visited Judaea and made dramatic new plans for the Province, which were carried out in 131 CE by the Governor of Judaea, Tineius Rufus.
  • Jerusalem was to be renamed ‘Aelia Capitolina’, and the new name stamped on Roman Coins. Circumcision was banned and the Ruins of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed in 70 CE, were to be reused in a Temple to Jupiter.

Simon Bar Kokhba declares Independence (132 CE)

• Simon Bar Kokhba became the Commander of the Revolt, and was perceived as a Messiah who would restore Judaean independence.
• In a surprise manoeuvre, and avoiding the mistakes of the First Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 CE, Simon Bar Kokhba surrounded the Legio X Fretensis in its Jerusalem garrison and elsewhere.
• The Governor Rufus was unable to quell the revolt and Bar Kokhba declared Judaea to be an Independent State from Rome.

Hadrian sends 6 Full Legions and 6 Part Legions (134 CE)

• In 132 CE Hadrian responded by sending an even larger Army than that led by Titus in 66-70 CE.
• Six Full Legions and their Auxiliaries, and detachments from 6 other Legions were sent, totaling 60,000-120,000 men under General Sextus Julius Severus.
• The Revolt took three years to be crushed.
• Dio Cassius states that more than 500,000 of the population died during the Revolt.

The 6 Legions

1. Legio X Fretensis
2. Legio VI Ferrata
3. Legio III Gallica
4. Legio III Cyrenaica
5. Legio XXII Deiotariana (Destroyed)
6. Legio X Gemina
   • Plus Vexillatios from 6 other Legions.
   • (There is a possibility that the Legio IX Hispana was sent here and destroyed, but it is purely speculation.)

The Outcome

• In 135 CE, after Bar Kokhba’s Revolt had been crushed, Hadrian deported large numbers of the remaining Jewish population from Judaea and dispersed them throughout the Roman Empire.
• Hadrian forbad the Jews to enter Jerusalem, prohibited the Torah Law and the Hebrew Calendar.

• Hadrian renamed Judaea, ‘Syria Palestinae’ and Jerusalem was renamed ‘Aelia Capitolina’ which remained in force until 395 CE, in an attempt to erase the History of Judaea.

• As a result of this depopulation through War and Exile, Judaea was never able to rebel against Rome again. Judaea remained peaceful even later, under the Byzantine Empire.

Sources

• Cassius Dio
  • History of Rome

Jerusalem