Jews vs. Rome

“Judaism as we know it today is not the Judaism of the Bible—it is the Judaism that emerged from the destruction of the Second Jewish Commonwealth at the hands of the Romans. As Barry Strauss illustrates in this riveting account, this pivotal period was defined by conflicting values and visions among Jews, corruption of their religious institutions, infighting when they could least afford it and much more that our own time eerily echoes. This stunning account leaves us with a much deeper understanding of not only the Jews’ past, but their present as well, and perhaps even their future.” – Daniel Gordis, author of Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn “Historian Strauss hits another home run with this thorough account of the tumultuous relations between Rome and its most contentious subjects, the Jews, in ancient times… . There is no better history of this important but little-known subject.” * Library Journal (starred review) *“Incisive, timely, and thought-provoking, Jews vs. Rome is an insightful history of the way implacable faith and resistance fueled two centuries of Judea’s doomed blows against the Empire. Barry Strauss is a master at illuminating the strong personalities, complex motives, and turbulence during Rome’s struggle to control the Middle East.” – Adrienne Mayor, Research scholar, Department of Classics and History and Philosophy of Science, Stanford University, and author of Flying Snakes and Griffin Claws, and Other Classical Myths, Historical Oddities, and Scientific Curiosities“For two hundred years, the Jews fought the world’s greatest power–Imperial Rome–and by doing so, won their rightful place as one of history’s most consequential people. Told by the master historian of the ancient world, this is a wonderful and important read.”   – Karl Rove, former White House Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff and author of The Triumph of William McKinley“Jews vs. Rome retells, with passion and immediacy, the Jews’ continuous confrontations with the great power of Rome and their own unceasing, often violent internal disputes, and ultimately indicates an enduring spiritual strength to explain their survival as a people. Behind the story of survival is a dire warning against disunity in perilous times.” – Jonathan J. Price, the Fred and Helen Lessing Professor of Ancient History, Departments of Classics and General History, Tel Aviv University

Barry Strauss is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies Emeritus at Cornell University, and a leading expert on ancient military history. He has written or edited several books, including The Battle of Salamis, The Trojan War, The Spartacus War, Masters of Command, The Death of Caesar, and Ten Caesars.