INAUGURATION OF PALESTINE

Excerpt from The Book “Holy-War: Rome and The Jews” [Also known as “Ben Hur II – Exile”

Joseph Shellim

The Roman war with the Jews did not end in 73. The exiled Jews battled Rome in the Diaspora,  culminating in the Kitos War of 115-117. A third war occurred with the Bar Kokhba Revolt in the  years 132-136, the Jews’ struggle for Jerusalem continuing into the second century. In the year  135 CE, a new king rose up in Rome who knew not Israel. Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus  Augustus, known as Emperor Hadrian, sets out on yet a final achievement of Roman glory, one  following the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple fortress.

The new divine Roman Emperor Hadrian will erase all remaining portions of the name of Israel  and thereby of all things Hebrew from history – it is an ancient Egyptian custom of eternal demise  by forbidding the utterance of a name, as was decreed of one Moses, removing his name from  every monument and pylon.  

As with Egypt and pervasive in the divine king realm, this was Rome’s war with Monotheism,  even more so than with the Jews. And Rome considered this a holy war wherein both beliefs  cannot subsist, and thus did Rome invest all her might to achieve victory – and the Jews did  likewise. Both contestants of this holy war saw no alternatives and battled to the end of the final  bout; nothing more could be asked of them by humanity or a God. Rome understands now, if the  Jews remain than they have won; thus did Rome embark on a means to erase all memory of this  nation and their laws of sorcery forever; for Mighty Rome is not like the other nations that fell  away.  

Again, the Sayer ascends the dais before the image of Hadrian and a huge statue of Jupiter  standing on Mount Moriah, which is Mount Zion and the site of the testing of Abraham with the  binding of his son, and the site wherein the Temple once stood. The Sayer proclaims Rome’s new  decrees:  

“Thus says Hadrian, divine emperor of the Roman Empire. Judea Capta!”  

An obligatory hailing: “Glory to Rome! Glory to Jupiter!”  

“But Rome’s emperor is not calmed and yet suspicious of this enemy.” The Sayer continues.  “Many Jews still live, their Hebrew sorcery still lives, and the Jews still look to an invisible God  who works secretly among them to test Rome again. Hearken now to Hadrian’s royal decrees to  erase this greatest of Rome’s enemies and their Hebrew God for ever more. Hearken to my  words! Rome decrees it as Roman law.” The Sayer shouts loud, commanding officially and  sternly:  

“The Hebrew is forbidden. Rome forbids the reading, writing or speaking in the Hebrew tongue.  Circumcision and all Hebrew customs and its practices are forbidden. No Jew must be seen in  Jerusalem – this city is now forbidden to Jews. This is now a Roman city honored with our divine  emperor’s most royal Roman name… it is Aelius Jupiteres Capitolina – Jerusalem is no more!”  The Sayer pauses as the soldiers fix the Latin banner on the dais of the Emperor Hadrian’s statue;  it reads:  

Aelius Jupiteres Capitolina!”  

The Speaker continues.  

“And of this rebellious province, Rome decrees your name shall no more be called Judea…” [136]  The Speaker throws both hands in the air with a music conductor’s passion, swaying his index as  he gives the people a one-thousand-year old history lesson none recognize:  “We know what was done in the past to our kin.” He nods pointedly. “We know how our  Philistine kin from across the sea were destroyed in Gaza by the hand of the Hebrew King David.  Their pillars were broken and their sacred monument of Dagon replaced with an invisible Hebrew  God. An invisible God… to beguile the people… to spread sorcery of the vilest superstitions and  of their heresy against Rome’s divinely anointed emperors… the protector… your protector of all  the empire’s peoples!?” [137]  

The Sayer’s finger sways in the air to and fro menacingly; the crowds nod and hearken with little  understanding:  

“Now, Rome returns the name of our kin to this land! By the sacred order of our divine emperor,  this land is now given the name of the ancient enemies of the Jews – a fitting name… a name  which will now unite us all in crushing those who seek to divide us or insult the empire again.  Rome! Your one true savior!”  

The people look at each other confused of the Sayer’s earnest proclamations, for the people of this  time were not fully instilled in reading and writing of history. 232 

“This rebellious province shall no more be called Judea!” His hand makes a slaying action.  “Judea is no more!” He screams out:  

“Rome decrees this land is now… Philestina! Hail all of you, for Philestina is born again this day!  Rome has resurrected you! Hail Rome! Hail Jupiteres!?” [138]  

The Roman soldiers hail chants: “Long live Palestina in the glory of Rome!”  The soldiers affix a Latin banner on the dais of the statue of Jupiter. It reads: “Provincia  Palestina.”  

“Judea is now part of our Syria Palestina!”  

The Speaker raises his hand, then he turns nodding to the guards:  

“Bring up their Hebrew priests and their Hebrew scrolls before the people…”  Ten Hebrew Priests, those acclaimed as possessing the greatest knowledge of their history and  scriptures are hauled before the people. These are the ten elite ones who were appointed in the  highest offices of Judea, the most learned and wise of all things sacred to the Jews. These are  those that were an anathema for Rome’s divine emperors by their monotheistic laws, those who  would not forgo their belief even when death was assured them. The destroying of the most elite  and knowledgeable was also the Babylonian method in 586 BCE, which killed or exiled the most  elite; the Greek king Antiochus also exiled most of the elite before Rome conquered all the  nations of this region. Thus did the Jews become a wondering and dispersed exiled people,  disdained in the Diaspora and barred from returning to their own land.  

The ten are brought out by the Roman soldiers, chained and bleeding, and paraded on a high  wooden altar. The Sayer shouts the names of the ten as he reads from a hand scroll:  “We worship the Gods of Rome. We now give unto Jupiter our thanksgiving sacrifice – of those  that Jupiter sent Mars to conquer. These are their names. Rabbi Ishmael – the High Priest; Rabbi  Shimon ben Gamaliel – the president of the Sanhedrin Courts; Rabbi Hanania ben Teradion – the  interpreter of the laws; Rabbi Yeshevav – the secretary of the Sanhedrin; Rabbi Hanina ben  Hakinai; Rabbi Huspith; Rabbi Eliezwe ben Shamua; Rabbi Yehuda ben Dama; Rabbi Yehuda  ben Baba and Rabbi Akiva the Sage.” [139]  

The Speaker nods at the executioners. Torah scrolls are set alight and placed on the priests’ heads  and bound feet. To instill their silent bearing of the fires into screams, Roman soldiers pierce  swords into the chests of the ten as they burn. When the priests resist screaming, the soldiers  begin scaling their skins with Rome’s flesh-burning fiery tools. They continue burning in their  silence.  

“What see you, Hanania?” The executioner taunts.  

Rabbi Hanania: “I see the parchment burning and the letters of the Law soaring upward.”  The executioner fans the flame, accelerating the end phase. The ten bleed and burn in a slow,  agonizing death, in astonishing silence as their bodies sputter and explode. The crowds are  frozen, cupping their noses, for they saw these as strange beings now. The Speaker sneers at the  calm of the Priests in facing their torturous deaths and the silence of the crowds.  

“They have never been guilty of false faith. In fact, before the church existed, they believed  in the one true God” [140]  

Now, this holy war’s concluding gong is about to sound. Rome declares the war is over; the  enemy vanquished. A long, foreboding set of trumpets is heralding its celebration of victory. Can  you hear it…? 

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