Jewish and Roman history

 At the crucifixion of Jesus, many of the elements of Jewish history are represented: The Romans in Pontius Pilate, who sentenced Him, the Sadducee priests, who resented his throwing the money changers out of the Temple, the Pharisees, who resented his teaching that minimized the value of the ceremonial details of the law, the Jews of the dispersion in Simon the Cyrene, the family of Herod Antipas, who examined him and finally, Moses and the prophets in the fulfillment of so many prophecies about the life and death of Jesus.

Herod Agrippa the first, a grandson of Herod the great, ruled from 37 A.D. to 44 A.D. Over a period of years, all three areas ruled by sons of Herod the Great came under his control. This Herod executed the Apostle James and imprisoned the Apostle Peter. He died suddenly and painfully at a celebration in Caesarea.

Two other Roman Procurators are mentioned in Scripture: Felix (52-60 A.D.), who tried Paul when he was accused by the Jewish leaders, and Festus (60-62 A.D.) who sent Paul to Rome for trial before Nero.

A Jewish revolt in Jerusalem in 66 A.D. brought the Roman General Vespasian and three of his legions to Palestine. He first defeated the Jewish forces in Galilee, sparing the life of the Jewish commander there, Josephus, who later wrote the histories of his people including the history of his revolt. In 69 A.D., Vespasian was declared Emperor, and leaving for Rome, left his son Titus to finish the fight. This Titus did, completely destroying Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D. One Jewish garrison, Masada, rather than surrender, committed mass suicide in the last Jewish fort to fall.