The Bar-Kokhba revolt: The Greek point of view

Werner Eck has shown (JRS 1999) that the Jewish rebellion led by Bar-Kokhba (132-136) was a major event not only in the history of the Jews, but also had wide ranging consequences for the ruling power, Rome. However, the Jews and the Romans were not the only parties to the conflict. The great Jewish rebellion of 66-73 that brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple had involved, on the Roman side, also the Greek speaking inhabitants of Palestine, Syria and Egypt, and the so-called Revolt of the Diaspora under Trajan was directed to a large extent against the Greek speaking inhabitants of the provinces involved. One would obviously expect a similar reaction to the rebellion under Hadrian. Unfortunately for that event we do not possess such a detailed eye-witness report as that of Flavius Josephus for the First Rebellion, and we have to rely on scattered and random pieces of evidence. This paper collects the remains of a considerable number of Greek writings, including those of biographies and encomia of Hadrian: owing to the very nature of these fragments only a few can be proven to have dealt with the Jewish war, and only some authors can be shown to have displayed on various occasions a decidedly anti-Jewish stance. Yet a survey and analysis of the remains of about a dozen Greek authors will suggest their passionate reaction to the rebellion and their support for Hadrian and the Roman cause.