Long Table 201. Bronzes of the First Jewish Revolt: The Yoke of Roman Botanical Imperialism

[@Historian212]

A correction: there are *three* Jewish pilgrimage festivals, known as the Shalosh (lit. three) Regalim, which are Passover, Shavuot (“weeks”), and Sukkot - not four, as the speaker suggested. I must admit to some surprise at this error. These are the very ancient agriculture-based markers that required a sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem, which required travel from those living elsewhere. (In many small villages, a representative of the community would go and present a sacrifice on behalf of all living there, who would probably have pooled their resources to finance the journey and the sacrifice.)

[@Historian212]

Wonderful presentation that raises many questions in fields related to the general history of the Roman occupation of Judaea, as well as insights into Christian texts, particularly the rather mysterious incident pertaining directly to Jesus’ use of a Roman coin to illustrate his attitude toward the occupiers. This talk gives deeper insight into this incident, particularly the background of the earlier Students’ Revolt against Rome, after which many Jewish rebels were crucified. Brava. I’m fascinated by the date palm iconography, and would like to know whether the speaker relates it to the far earlier iconography of palms representing mother deities in the area. These may be found on surviving seals and other artifacts, from ancient Babylonia and Sumer across Southwest Asia. The survival of the tree flanked by goats, lions, other deities, etc., often deriving “milk” directly from the tree’s “breasts” is very much like the fruit clusters depicted on the Roman coins. It then makes sense that given the ubiquity of these very ancient images, the date palm in a very similar depiction would survive into the Hellenistic era.