Dr. Guy Maclean Rogers

And I'm sure some of your audience members will know that after the destruction of the temple, Jewish scholars who had either escaped from Jerusalem or relocated to Yavna afterward on the coast, then spent literally hundreds of years debating what the significance of the destruction of the temple was.

And I'm sure some of your audience members will know that after the destruction of the temple, Jewish scholars who had either escaped from Jerusalem or relocated to Yavna afterward on the coast, then spent literally hundreds of years debating what the significance of the destruction of the temple was.

And I'm sure some of your audience members will know that after the destruction of the temple, Jewish scholars who had either escaped from Jerusalem or relocated to Yavna afterward on the coast, then spent literally hundreds of years debating what the significance of the destruction of the temple was.

So it becomes incredibly important in Jewish history, but also the histories of Rome and Christianity. So in Rome, although Josephus in his works tries to argue that his friend Titus didn't want to destroy the temple,

So it becomes incredibly important in Jewish history, but also the histories of Rome and Christianity. So in Rome, although Josephus in his works tries to argue that his friend Titus didn't want to destroy the temple,

So it becomes incredibly important in Jewish history, but also the histories of Rome and Christianity. So in Rome, although Josephus in his works tries to argue that his friend Titus didn't want to destroy the temple,

We have several monuments and inscriptions in Rome in which Titus and Vespasian were quite happy to be bragging about the way that they had destroyed Jerusalem, which includes the temple, of course. So you can't have it both ways. So this becomes the support and the justification for the Flavian dynasty of Vespasian and Titus and Domitian changes the history of Rome.

We have several monuments and inscriptions in Rome in which Titus and Vespasian were quite happy to be bragging about the way that they had destroyed Jerusalem, which includes the temple, of course. So you can't have it both ways. So this becomes the support and the justification for the Flavian dynasty of Vespasian and Titus and Domitian changes the history of Rome.

We have several monuments and inscriptions in Rome in which Titus and Vespasian were quite happy to be bragging about the way that they had destroyed Jerusalem, which includes the temple, of course. So you can't have it both ways. So this becomes the support and the justification for the Flavian dynasty of Vespasian and Titus and Domitian changes the history of Rome.

And then unfortunately, in the third and fourth centuries, Christian writers make the case that the destruction of the temple was kind of punishment for the, quote, Jews executing Jesus. And, you know, that very unfortunate, untrue and unfortunate slur goes on forever. literally hundreds and hundreds of years and poisons relations. We're still living with the consequences of that, alas.

And then unfortunately, in the third and fourth centuries, Christian writers make the case that the destruction of the temple was kind of punishment for the, quote, Jews executing Jesus. And, you know, that very unfortunate, untrue and unfortunate slur goes on forever. literally hundreds and hundreds of years and poisons relations. We're still living with the consequences of that, alas.

And then unfortunately, in the third and fourth centuries, Christian writers make the case that the destruction of the temple was kind of punishment for the, quote, Jews executing Jesus. And, you know, that very unfortunate, untrue and unfortunate slur goes on forever. literally hundreds and hundreds of years and poisons relations. We're still living with the consequences of that, alas.

That's exactly right. Not only that, but some of the treasures taken from the temple were displayed by Vespasian in a kind of marble museum of things looted from peoples in the Roman Empire. And we know now that in the Flavian amphitheater, or actually outside of it, there was at least one inscription, probably more, which claimed that the amphitheater had been built from the spoils of this war.

That's exactly right. Not only that, but some of the treasures taken from the temple were displayed by Vespasian in a kind of marble museum of things looted from peoples in the Roman Empire. And we know now that in the Flavian amphitheater, or actually outside of it, there was at least one inscription, probably more, which claimed that the amphitheater had been built from the spoils of this war.

That's exactly right. Not only that, but some of the treasures taken from the temple were displayed by Vespasian in a kind of marble museum of things looted from peoples in the Roman Empire. And we know now that in the Flavian amphitheater, or actually outside of it, there was at least one inscription, probably more, which claimed that the amphitheater had been built from the spoils of this war.

So as I say to my students, when you go to Rome and the amphitheater or Colosseum is the most visited archeological site in Italy, tens of millions of people every year, It is Rome. It's the metonym for Rome. Everyone that goes to Rome has a picture taken in front of that. It's a war memorial, but it's a triumphant memorial over the Jews. And I also, when I go there, which I do all the time,

So as I say to my students, when you go to Rome and the amphitheater or Colosseum is the most visited archeological site in Italy, tens of millions of people every year, It is Rome. It's the metonym for Rome. Everyone that goes to Rome has a picture taken in front of that. It's a war memorial, but it's a triumphant memorial over the Jews. And I also, when I go there, which I do all the time,

So as I say to my students, when you go to Rome and the amphitheater or Colosseum is the most visited archeological site in Italy, tens of millions of people every year, It is Rome. It's the metonym for Rome. Everyone that goes to Rome has a picture taken in front of that. It's a war memorial, but it's a triumphant memorial over the Jews. And I also, when I go there, which I do all the time,

I always think to myself, Rome had a large Jewish population at the time in the late first century. And every day they would be walking by this memorial to the eradication of their sanctuary and their defeat in war. And I asked my students to think about what the implications of that are historically.

I always think to myself, Rome had a large Jewish population at the time in the late first century. And every day they would be walking by this memorial to the eradication of their sanctuary and their defeat in war. And I asked my students to think about what the implications of that are historically.