Israel's God and Rebecca's Children: Christology and Community in Early Judaism and Christianity

Chapter 18: Vespasian, Nerva, Jesus, and the Fiscus Judaicus

303 Chapter 18 Vespasian, Nerva, Jesus, and the Fiscus Judaicus There can be little doubt that by 65 C.E. politically, militarily, and socially Vespasian appeared to have little in the way of prospects to reignite his formerly illustrious career. This shining star that had risen through the ranks during the reign of Claudius was remembered for his successful campaign when his forces had conquered the remote and uncivilized isle known as “Britannia.”1 He had then distinguished himself administratively as proconsul of Egypt.2 Next, he had become politically active in Rome and a confidant of Nero. However, this proximity to Nero was to prove Vespasian’s undoing. As Suetonius tells the incident , Vespasian’s crime was failure to show the same degree of delight as the self-adoring Nero did in relation to his musical talents: In consequence he not only lost the imperial favour but was dismissed from Court, and fled to a small out-of-the-way township, where he hid in terror of his life. Vespasian’s fear was well founded, as was his decision to avoid the spotlight of the imperial capital and to settle in a rural Italian village. In many ways, Vespasian was lucky to escape with his life from the maniacal Nero. After the dismissal of Vespasian, while still in Greece Nero became convinced of a plot against him. Whether this was real or imagined is impossible to say. The consequence was that the legates of the upper and lower Rhine armies were summoned to Greece and forced to suicide, as was Corbulo, general of the Syrian legions. The fate of Corbulo is not unrelated to that of Vespasian. Nero’s decision to remove some of his most experienced generals meant that there was a shortage of military tacticians in whom the legions had confidence. Paul Foster The Introduction of the Fiscus Judaicus Shortly after Corbulo’s suicide, rebellion broke out in Jerusalem in reaction to the excesses of Florus, the procurator of Judaea. In November 66, Cestius Gallus, the newly appointed governor of Syria, led the legions southward in an attempt to quell the uprising. The campaign was a disaster . Roman forces were heavily defeated in Galilee, and Cestius died a short time afterwards.3 Moreover, the Jewish rebels had tasted victory, which strengthened their resolve against Roman forces. Despite apparent perception, Vespasian’s career was far from ended, and he was recalled to command the campaign against the Jewish uprising. The campaign waged by Vespasian was not easy, nor were the rebels beaten into quick submission. In fact, while attempting to capture Gamala, Vespasian was cut off from his troops and almost lost his life.4 Despite such setbacks, the Roman campaign moved on with an irresistible force. With Galilee subdued and most of Judea restored to Roman control, Vespasian regrouped his troops at Caesarea in preparation for the assault on Jerusalem.5 As preparations were being made, news arrived of Nero’s death. From harsh experience, Vespasian had learned not to act without the imperial imprimatur. Josephus relates how the campaign was delayed while political events unfolded in Rome: Vespasian, therefore, when the news first came, deferred his expedition against Jerusalem, anxiously waiting to see upon whom the empire would devolve after Nero’s death; nor when he subsequently heard that Galba was emperor would he undertake anything, until he received further instructions from him concerning the war.6 Events moved quickly in Rome. During his reign of less than seven months, Galba alienated many of the influential Roman citizens and made his position untenable by sentencing a number of senators and knights to death without trial. As Suetonius comments, “Thus he outraged almost all classes at Rome; but the most virulent hatred of him was found in the army.”7 On January 15, 69, the emperor was assassinated in the Forum. Galba’s death plunged Rome into civil war. Being the principal political figure in Rome, Otho, the instigator of the assassination, was quickly elected to the purple.8 However, there was a ready challenger to Otho’s claim. Vitellius, backed by the Rhine armies, marched on Rome in an attempt to press his claims. After Otho’s forces were defeated on the south bank of the river Po, he committed suicide in the hope that 304 Paul Foster he could save the imperial capital and his relatives from the horror of further bloodshed.9...