Episode Summary

Podcast: Ask Haviv Anything
Episode: 70 – The Warrior Jews Who Terrified Rome, with Barry Strauss
Date: December 23, 2025
Host: Haviv Rettig Gur
Guest: Prof. Barry S. Strauss

Episode Overview

This episode features historian Prof. Barry Strauss discussing his latest book, Jews vs. Rome, which reevaluates the Jewish revolts against Roman imperial rule in the first and second centuries CE. Strauss and Gur explore the depth, strategy, and legacy of these embattled Jewish uprisings—arguing that their story is much richer, more ambitious, and often more tragic than typically portrayed in rabbinic tradition or mainstream Jewish memory.

The conversation traces Jewish military tradition, strategic hopes (including the crucial “Iranian connection”), devastating civil discord, and the enduring cultural and theological aftermath. The episode also tackles how Rome shaped the narrative of its wars, the fate of diaspora communities, and the evolution of rabbinic Judaism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge to Historical Memory

• Traditional Perspective: Jewish rabbinic memory frames the revolts as misguided folly, emphasizing accommodation and rabbinic adaptation as heroic and necessary.
• Strauss’s Argument: Jewish revolts were not foredoomed hopeless ventures. The rebels were strategic actors with genuine prospects for success, drawing from a strong military tradition and relying on the prospect of outside help—specifically from the Parthian Empire (ancient Iran).

“Jewish memory argues that the revolts were foolish… They couldn’t have fought Rome anyway. And what actually survived was the wise men at Yavneh… But you argue that the Jews are too quick to tell themselves this could never have worked.”
— Haviv Rettig Gur, 05:06

2. Zionist vs. Rabbinic Interpretations

• Early Zionists saw the rebels as heroes, naming themselves after them (e.g., Ben Gurion).
• Rabbinic tradition, by contrast, emphasized the folly and destructiveness of the revolts and valorized rabbinic survival.

“The Zionist interpretation of the revolts is not as negative as the rabbinic interpretation. After all, the early Zionists look back at the rebels as heroes… But yes, the rabbinic tradition says the revolts were foolish, sad, ill-considered.”
— Barry Strauss, 05:34

3. The “Iranian Connection”

• During the revolts, the Parthian Empire (ancient Iran) was seen as a potential ally by Jewish rebels—paralleling the American Revolutionaries’ courtship of France.
• The Jewish community in Parthia and the kingdom of Adiabene (in modern Iraqi Kurdistan), whose royal family converted to Judaism, were crucial in this diplomatic and military hope.

“The rebels’ greatest hope was to get Parthian help. I compare it to the American Revolution… The rebels were trying to get help from the Parthian Empire… That was their goal, that was their hope, and it didn’t work out… But that’s what they saw as being able to help them.”
— Barry Strauss, 06:37

4. Rome’s Moment of Weakness

• The Great Revolt began during a time when Rome was not invincible. Emperor Nero’s distractions, recent Roman defeats, and an unfriendly local governor (Florus) created a power vacuum and unrest.
• Jewish military tradition was strong, especially in irregular warfare, having won independence from the Seleucid Greeks (Maccabees).

“If you’re a rebel in Jerusalem, you might think Rome is weaker than it’s been in a while, and there’s a real chance… There never would have been a rebellion if the Roman governor… hadn’t done a lot of offensive things, not just stealing money from the temple, but unleashing his soldiers in a massacre…”
— Barry Strauss, 09:19

5. Jewish Military Tradition and Tactics

• At the outbreak, Jewish forces scored a major victory at Beth Horon, destroying much of a Roman legion using guerrilla tactics.
• The involvement of Jewish leaders from Adiabene strengthened the rebels’ capabilities and links to Parthia.

“They destroy most of a Roman legion… entirely using irregular tactics. These are light-armed troops, they’re hurling spears, they’re ambushing people… That steals Nero to say: this is a serious revolt…”
— Barry Strauss, 13:20

6. The Role of Adiabene: The “Lost” Jewish Kingdom

• Adiabene (Assyria/Iraqi Kurdistan) had a Jewish royal family and close connections with Jerusalem—economic, religious, and political.
• Adiabene’s access to both Roman and Parthian spheres made it a crucial, though ultimately undelivered, support for the revolt.

“Don't be embarrassed, because most of us don't about it… The ruling dynasty had converted to Judaism, I think, around the year 40 CE… Queen Helena… arranges for supplies in a time of famine… She’s a revered figure.”
— Barry Strauss, 15:50

7. Why Did the Jewish Revolts Fail?

• Despite hope and preparedness (Jerusalem’s fortress, expectation of Parthian aid), the rebels’ downfall was primarily internal division—“Sinat Chinam” (baseless hatred).
• Instead of guerrilla strategy, rebels retreated into fortresses and suffered from infighting—leading to disaster.

“They did almost everything wrong… They’re divided… This very quickly becomes a civil war of Jews versus Jew, which makes it close to impossible to win.”
— Barry Strauss, 18:47

8. The Symbolism and Reality of Masada

• Masada became a symbol of both fanatical defiance and the value of freedom—even admired in ancient Greek and Roman culture for the rebels’ refusal to surrender.
• Josephus ends The Jewish War with Masada, underscoring this ambivalence.

“Masada in the hands of Josephus, becomes this symbol of freedom… one of the most eloquent defenses of freedom in all of ancient Greek literature…”
— Barry Strauss, 22:10

9. Rome’s Response and Strategy

• After the revolt, Rome imposed the Fiscus Judaicus, a special tax on Jews everywhere, punished the diaspora, and destroyed other Jewish temples.
• Rome was not eliminationist but considered Jews a dangerous population and devoted vast resources to suppress their rebellions.

“They create a special tax on Jews everywhere in the empire… I think it reflects… the Romans fear the Jews. They know these people could rise in revolt again.”
— Barry Strauss, 24:36

10. Subsequent Revolts: Diaspora and Bar Kokhba

• Multiple diaspora revolts followed, especially during Trajan’s campaign in Parthia, sometimes involving apparent coordination between East and West.
• The Bar Kokhba revolt was the most formidable, with long-term secrecy, preparation, and initial success—ultimately ending in devastation, mass enslavement, and a forced name change for Judea to Syria Palestina.

“…Bar Kokhba… was a very experienced soldier. He and his followers prepare for this revolt for years… The net net is to destroy most of Jewish life in Judea and Yehudah… and to kill many Jews, enslave many more Jews, send the survivors to the Galilee and the Golan…”
— Barry Strauss, 30:40 – 34:56

11. The Survival and Transformation of Judaism

• The very survival of Judaism after such devastation was a near-run thing; rabbis on the fringes preserved and rebuilt Jewish identity, often from exile in Babylon (Iraq).
• Rabbinic Judaism, starting as a fringe movement, grew over centuries to become the core of Jewish life.

“The rabbinic movement is a very small movement… It takes them centuries to convince Jews as a whole that this is the way to go… A lot of the work is done… in Mesopotamia.”
— Barry Strauss, 38:19

12. Accommodation with Rome

• Pre-revolt, Jewish elites (Herod, priests) were largely pro-Roman, balancing religious autonomy (e.g., sacrifices for the Emperor in the Temple) with loyalty to Rome.
• This accommodation had its limits and fueled the revolt.

13. Rome and Early Christianity

• Repeated Jewish revolts and monotheistic resistance made Rome suspicious of emerging Christian groups—only slowly did the distinction between Jews and Christians become clear to Roman authorities.
• Rome dealt cautiously with Christian communities, tolerating them so long as they did not openly defy imperial cult demands.

“The Romans just don’t have that big an army… they haven’t this attitude—don’t look for trouble when there isn’t any.”
— Barry Strauss, 44:30 – 46:41

14. The Disappearance and Survival of Diaspora Jewish Cultures

• The western (Greek, Latin-speaking) Jewish communities, though once large and cosmopolitan, largely faded from Jewish memory and rabbinic narratives, with their writings and influence diminished.
• The cultural locus shifted eastwards.

“The center of the Jewish world, the cultural spiritual powerhouse, moves to the east and it moves to Iraq for a long time… But the Jews of the west are dependent on… Talmudic Judaism which comes westward.”
— Barry Strauss, 48:06

15. Lessons and Takeaways

• Jewish history under Rome must be understood as part of larger imperial and geopolitical struggles.
• Disunity among the Jews decisively doomed the revolts—echoes for today’s societies.

“Disunity kills… Democratic societies have to have debate, they have to have disagreement. But… there’s a point where disunity can be dysfunctional…”
— Barry Strauss, 51:00

16. The Roman Imprint on the Jewish Story

• Rome heavily invested in shaping the narrative of its Judean victory, both to legitimize new emperors (e.g., Vespasian and the Coliseum) and minimize the scale of Jewish resistance.

“The most famous building in the Roman world… the Coliseum, that’s about the Jewish revolt. Can you believe that?”
— Barry Strauss, 51:41

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Iranian Connection:
  “The rebel rebels' greatest chance, their greatest hope was to get Parthian help. ...But that’s what they saw as being able to help them.” — Barry Strauss, 06:37

• On Internal Division:
  “They did almost everything wrong... they’re divided. ...This very quickly becomes a civil war of Jews versus Jew, which makes it close to impossible to win.” — Barry Strauss, 18:47

• On Rabbinic Survival:
  “It’s not at all a given that Judaism’s going to survive. ...And yet there is this group of people, the rabbis, who are at the fringes of society... and we’re going to take this heritage... and we’re going to keep it alive.” — Barry Strauss, 36:14

• On Roman Policy Post-Revolt:
  “They create a special tax on Jews everywhere in the empire... I think it reflects the fact that the Romans fear the Jews.” — Barry Strauss, 24:36

• On Roman Historical Narrative:
  “What’s the most famous building in the Roman world? …the Coliseum, that’s about the Jewish revolt. Can you believe that?” — Barry Strauss, 51:41

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:34 — Strauss challenges rabbinic interpretation of the revolts
• 06:37 — The "Iranian connection" and the search for Parthian help
• 09:19 — The strategic and military context at the start of the rebellion
• 13:20 — Jewish military tradition and the victory at Beth Horon
• 15:50 — The Jewish kingdom of Adiabene and its ties to Judea
• 18:47 — Division and errors that doomed the revolt
• 22:10 — The significance of Masada in history and memory
• 24:36 — Roman reprisals: taxation, diaspora punishment, and Jewish resilience
• 30:40 — The Bar Kokhba revolt: preparation, scale, and consequences
• 36:14 — Rabbinic resilience and the near extinction of Judaism
• 38:19 — How fringe was the rabbinic movement at first?
• 44:30 — Roman suspicion of Christianity after Jewish revolts
• 48:06 — The eclipse of Western diaspora Jewish cultures
• 51:00 — The peril of disunity: ancient lessons for today
• 51:41 — Roman propaganda: the Coliseum and the memory of revolt

Concluding Thoughts

Strauss and Gur urge listeners to reconsider the complexity and ambition of the Jewish resistance to Rome, not just as a prelude to rabbinic Judaism, but as a significant episode in world history. The conversation challenges listeners to reclaim a neglected chapter of Jewish agency and military prowess—and to heed its warnings about the crippling effects of internal division, the power of historical narrative, and the resilience of cultural identity.

Recommended Reading:

• Jews vs. Rome by Barry S. Strauss

Notable for:

• Military history enthusiasts, students of Jewish history, those interested in empire, resistance, and cultural transformation.

(All quotations are direct from the episode, with timestamps for context.)