| Jewish revolt against Gallus | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theRoman civil war of 350–353 | |||||||
 Map of the Roman East under Gallus | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Roman Empire | Jews ofIsrael | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 5,000 | Several thousand rebels killed | ||||||
TheJewish revolt against Constantius Gallus, also known as theGallus Revolt, erupted during theRoman civil war of 350–353, upon destabilization across theRoman Empire. In 351–352, the Jews of the Roman province ofSyria Palaestina revolted against the rule ofConstantius Gallus, brother-in-law of EmperorConstantius II andCaesar of the eastern part of theRoman Empire. The revolt was crushed by Gallus' generalUrsicinus.
The rebellion was led by Isaac of Diocaesarea (also known as Isaac ofSepphoris),[1] aided by a certainPatricius and had its epicentre in the town of Diocaesarea (theGreco-Romanreferent for Sepphoris).Jerome records that the revolt began with anight attack on the Roman garrison, which was destroyed, and allowed the Jews to procure the necessary weapons.[2] According to the 9th-century authorTheophanes the Confessor, the rebels subsequently killed the people of different ethnicities, pagan GreekHellenes andSamaritans.
The emperorConstantius II, like his fatherConstantine the Great before him, showed a preference for the Christian religion, which he favored over all others, including Judaism. Unlike his father, however, Constantius allowed Christians to persecute the pagans and the Jews. Some Christian clergy practiced intolerance toward non-Christians, both through the secular arm and in directing angry crowds, which attacked and destroyed synagogues and temples.[3]
Eventually, the Jews reacted, opposing Christian proselytism and showing intolerance toward Jewish Christians. Fiery sermons preached in synagogues againstEdom were in fact directed against those Romans who, after removing the Jews' political independence, were now repressing their religion.[1]
In 350, EmperorConstantius II was engaged in a campaign in the East against theSasanians. He was however forced to return to the West to counter the usurpation ofMagnentius, who had murdered Constantius' brother and colleague,Constans. Constantius therefore appointed his cousinGallusCaesar of the East, on March 15, 351 atSirmium. Gallus arrived atAntioch,[a] his capital, on May 7 of that same year.[4] During the period between the passage of Constantius in the West and the arrival of Gallus in the East, or immediately after the arrival of the Caesar in Antioch, the Jews revolted inPalestine.[5]
The rebellion was led by Isaac of Diocaesarea (also known as Isaac of Sepphoris),[1] aided by a certainPatricius, also known as Natrona, a name with messianic connotations,[6] and had its epicentre in the town ofDiocaesarea (the Greco-Roman referent for Sepphoris).[7][b]Jerome records that the revolt began with a night assault on the Roman garrison, which was destroyed, and allowed the Jews to procure the necessary weapons.[8] According to the 9th century authorTheophanes the Confessor subsequently the rebels killed the people of different ethnicities, pagan GreekHellenes andSamaritans.[9][10] He is the first author to make this claim.[11]
In 351 or 352, Gallus sent hismagister equitumUrsicinus[12] to forcefully put down the revolt.[13]Tiberias[c] andDiospolis,[d] two of the cities conquered by the rebels, were almost destroyed, while Diocaesarea was razed to the ground.[1] Ursicinus also ordered several thousand rebels killed.[10] According to Jerome, Gallus slew many thousands of people, including even those who were too young to fight.[14]Sozomen, when recalling these events, wrote: "The Jews of Diocæsarea (Sepphoris) also took up arms and invaded the Roman garrisons inPalestine and the neighboring territories, with the design of shaking off the Roman yoke. On hearing of their insurrection, Gallus Caesar, who was then in Antioch, sent troops against them, defeated them, and destroyed Diocæsarea."[15] Amidrash suggests that Patricius was killed in the battle.[16]
After the events, a permanent garrison occupied Galilee.[17]
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