M
Mintaka
Guest
Nobody here has ever read 1 Maccabees 8? The hatred between Romans and Jews was about treaty-breaking between allies. Judah Maccabee made a treaty with the Roman Republic, guys. Because the Roman Republic was awesomely cool and weird, just like the kingdom of Israel.
Bad stuff happened. Here’s when they were buds.
"And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said, ‘Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us to you, to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.’ And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.
"And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.
"Good success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them. But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions, the nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart… In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart…
"Moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying, ‘Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends, and allies, the Jews?’ "
Maccabees also tells about an alliance with the Spartans (1 Maccabees 12) and that the Jewish priests remembered the Spartans at sacrifice times; and the Spartans even claim that they descended in some twisty way from Abraham.
Both Books of Maccabees are all kinds of post-Alexander the Great fun in the Middle East, as his generals and their descendants slaughter each other and keep running over Israel in the process. Nothing like being a strategic piece of rock close to the trade roads and the sea!
Bad stuff happened. Here’s when they were buds.
"And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said, ‘Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us to you, to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.’ And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.
"And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.
"Good success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them. But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions, the nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart… In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart…
"Moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying, ‘Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends, and allies, the Jews?’ "
Maccabees also tells about an alliance with the Spartans (1 Maccabees 12) and that the Jewish priests remembered the Spartans at sacrifice times; and the Spartans even claim that they descended in some twisty way from Abraham.
Both Books of Maccabees are all kinds of post-Alexander the Great fun in the Middle East, as his generals and their descendants slaughter each other and keep running over Israel in the process. Nothing like being a strategic piece of rock close to the trade roads and the sea!