Rome and Jerusalem

Starred review from August 27, 2007
The Jewish revolt against the Romans, ending with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in A.D. 70, marked an irreparable breach between the pagan—and later Christian—worlds and an outcast Jewish minority. Yet the first two-thirds of this absorbing historical study explores the harmony of Roman and Judaic civilizations before the revolt. Goodman, a professor of Jewish studies at Oxford, finds many similarities in a far-ranging comparative analysis of their religions, cultures, economies and governments, though he gives more space to the worldly, extravagant Romans than to the relatively austere and parochial Jews. Before the revolt, he contends, Romans considered Jews unobjectionable, despite their eccentric monotheism; Jerusalem prospered under Roman rule and Jews living in diaspora were well integrated into Roman society. Goodman argues that the cataclysm could have been avoided (the burning of the Temple was accidental, he believes) but for the politics of the imperial succession, which prompted a needlessly hard line against the revolt and then Judaism itself. Drawing on Josephus's firsthand narrative, Goodman fleshes out his lucid account with archeology, numismatics and commentary from Roman and Jewish sources. The result is a scholarly tour de force, a resonant story of a tragic conflict caused by political miscalculation and opportunism. 16 pages of photos, 8 maps.

Starred review from October 15, 2007
Jewish revolts in 66 CE and 132 CE against Roman rule in Judea were seminal in the history of the Jewish people. Aside from the slaughter and devastation of their national home, Jews were dispersed across three continents, and the center of Jewish life moved from the Temple in Jerusalem to the synagogue. But the effects of the clash between Romans and Jews had far-reaching consequences for the wider Western world as this outstanding, comprehensive history of the conflict illustrates. Goodman, professor of Jewish studies at Oxford, is clearly sympathetic to the Jews, who suffered on a massive scale, but he offers a balanced account showing the treachery and brutality on both sides. He explains well the complexities of Judean society, as moderates, radicals, Saducees, Pharisees, and zealots fought each other and the Romans. Finally, Goodman convincingly asserts that the destruction of the Jewish homeland strongly influenced future relations between Jews and Christians. For scholars of Roman and Jewish history as well as well-informed general readers, this work provides a definitive account.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)