The Romans were tolerant of other people's beliefs and they allowed "foreign" religions as long as those religions or practices were not treasonous or were not detrimental to the empire in some way.
Answer 2
Because the Jews agreed to live by Roman rule.
The Romans did not generally object to the religious beliefs of their subject peoples provided the latter also observed Roman religious practices. Jews and Christians of course refused to do this.
The Romans never forced their religious beliefs on any people they subjected. On the contrary, they often embraced religious practices and even gods from other religions if they liked the look of them. You must remember that the Christians (and later, the Muslims) have been the only believers in history to hold that their religion is superior to anyone else's AND translated that conviction into converting others and suppressing their original beliefs .
So by our standards, the Romans were religiously tolerant. By their own standards, it wouldn't even enter their minds to suppress a local religion unless its beliefs brought the locals in direct conflict with their political or strategic interests.
The Romans were actually very tolerant of "foreign" and "different" religions.
They also made a differentiation be religions (practiced since antiquity) and cults (new beliefs). The Jewish religion was recognized as being practiced even before Rome existed and was thus granted an exception for they "strange" refusal to sacrifice to the Emperor. Cults (e.g. the new Christianity) could not be granted such an exception and if their followers were to refuse to sacrifice to the Emperor then they would be persecuted to attempt to force them to sacrifice.
they didn't, but the Jews risked their life to keep on studying the Torah, celebrating holididays, and all of that stuff. also, to the Jews, this time is a holiday known ashanukah.
The truth is that the Romans were only interested in economic control over their dominion. every where they went they did not much care about he religion of those places that they conquered. However they demanded control and wealth. the English and Dutch had similar policies 2 thousand years later. It costs a lot more fighting religious fanatics that believe they will go to heaven if you kill them. so you help them maintain their power as long as they help you maintain yours. The Jews got too big for their own boots too soon so they got stomped by the somewhat bigger roman boot.
The Romans were too smart to waste energies in religious wars, they were too busy exploiting people and resources all over the Mediterranean basin, and they had enough economic and politic wars already. So they preferred to adopt other people's gods and even build temples for them in Rome. At least until the first Jewish revolt in the year 66 AD.
The Question isn't completely accurate. There were certain periods (such as under Hadrian) that the Romans outlawed the practice of Judaism and killed leading Torah-sages.
During those times that the Romans did not interfere with the internal life of the Jews, the reason was because the Romans wanted to receive their taxes. That, and making sure none of their colonies planned rebellions, was usually the only thing that the Romans were very concerned about.
Further background:
Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, the two sons of the Jewish King Yannai (Johanan Hyrcanus, 1st century BCE), got the Romans involved in Judea when they asked the Romans to settle a dispute. At first the Romans were cordial; and they actually became party to a military treaty with Judea (Talmud, Avodah Zara 9a). A couple of decades later, however, they unilaterally abrogated the treaty, and placed Roman governors over the land who afflicted the Jews with crushing taxation (Talmud, Yoma 9a). In the first two centuries CE, things got worse, with the Romans destroying the Second Temple and temporarily outlawing Torah-observances, and the Jews attempting to revolt. The Romans destroyed large numbers of Jewish communities in the Holy Land, and they killed some of the leading Jewish sages.
Judea became a client stater of Rome in 63 B when Pompey,a Roman military commander, was called in to arbitrated in a civil war between two brothers over the succession to the throne, Hyrcanus and Aristobulos. Pompey ruled in favour of Hycranus. Aristobulos tried to topple him twice, but the Romans intervened. Julius Caesar appointed Antipater the Idumean, who had rescued him in Egypt, chief minister. Anipater was succeed by Herod the Great. Herod partitioned his kingdom among his sons in 4 BC. In 6 BC Augustus deposed Herod Archelaus, the ruler of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea on request of the Jews, who were fed up with misrule. Augustus annexed this territory. Herod Antipas remained in charge of Galilee and Perea, and Herod Phillip remained in charge of Betanea, Aurantis, Trachonitis and Gaulanitis. The Romans allowed the Jews to practice their religion because they were tolerant of other religions and allowed the peoples in their empire and in the territories under their sphere of control to follow their religions.
With some notable exceptions, the Romans didn't interfere much in Jewish internal matters, because the main thing that they wanted was taxes and a quiet populace.
More information:
Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, the two sons of the Jewish King Yannai (Johanan Hyrcanus, 1st century BCE), got the Romans involved in Judea when they asked them to settle a dispute. At first the Romans were cordial; and they actually became party to a military treaty with Judea (Talmud, Avodah Zara 8b).
A couple of decades later, however, they unilaterally abrogated the treaty, and placed Roman governors over the land who afflicted the Jews with crushing taxation (Talmud, Yoma 9a).
In the first two centuries CE, things got worse, with the Romans destroying Jerusalem and the Second Temple after the Jewish Zealots attempted to revolt. The Romans sold hundreds of thousands of Jews into slavery (Josephus). From time to time they forbade the observance of the Torah-commands, and they killed several of the leading Sages, despite the fact that the Torah-leaders had advised against revolt (Talmud, Gittin 56a).
Later, Simeon Bar Kochba led a second revolt, in an ill-advised attempt to recreate the independent Judea. The Romans responded by destroying Betar.
See also:
They didn't always allow it. But when they did, it was because their chief interest was in taxation and maintaining quiet.
because the jews agreed to live by roman rules
No. But there was a good number of individual Romans who converted to Judaism.
The Romans found that they had the same deities only named differently. There was really no adaption necessary, except that the Romans used Roman names for the gods instead of the Greek names.
The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.The Romans were tolerant of other beliefs as long as they were not decadent or treasonous.
As seen throughout history, the Jews were quite beneficial to the economy. Therefore, many rulers allowed them to keep their religious identities in order to keep them happy so they would not resent the country which they served.
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There some periods of cruel Roman repression of Torah-observance (such as the decrees of Hadrian). At other times, the Romans allowed the Jews to practice their religious beliefs as long as they paid their taxes and didn't cause civil unrest in the cities where they lived.
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The Romans had many religious beliefs and believed in many different gods. At one point they made it mandantory to belive that their Ruler(Caesar) was a god.
As seen throughout history, the Jews were quite beneficial to the economy. Therefore, many rulers allowed them to keep their religious identities in order to keep them happy so they would not resent the country which they served.
Actually, there were times when the Romans outlawed Judaism, such as during the time of Hadrian. During those times that the Romans didn't interfere with the internal life of the Jews, the reason was because the Romans wanted to receive their taxes. That, and making sure none of their colonies planned rebellions, was usually the only thing that the Romans were really concerned about.
They didn't. For the most part. There was a time called "Gizeiros HaShmad" meaning: decrees of destruction-because there were laws forbidding Jews to obey their religion-thereby destroying their spiritual growth. There were however certain times during certain rulers when the Jews were allowed to practice their beliefs.
No. But there was a good number of individual Romans who converted to Judaism.
They didn't. For the most part. There was a time called "Gizeiros HaShmad" meaning: decrees of destruction-because there were laws forbidding Jews to obey their religion-thereby destroying their spiritual growth. There were however certain times during certain rulers when the Jews were allowed to practice their beliefs.
They didn't. For the most part. There was a time called "Gizeiros HaShmad" meaning: decrees of destruction-because there were laws forbidding Jews to obey their religion-thereby destroying their spiritual growth. There were however certain times during certain rulers when the Jews were allowed to practice their beliefs.
Most of the time, when the Jews paid their taxes and did not revolt, their religious practice was tolerated. However, there were periods of extremely cruel decrees and their enforcement, prohibiting the practice of Torah-commands. One example of the latter was under Vespasian.
Actually, there were times when the Romans outlawed Judaism, such as during the time of Hadrian. During those times that the Romans didn't interfere with the internal life of the Jews, the reason was because the Romans wanted to receive their taxes. That, and making sure none of their colonies planned rebellions, was usually the only thing that the Romans were really concerned about.
All they wanted was payment of taxes and lack of rebellion. They did sometimes suppress Judaism, but often did not.