Ancient Texts covering Bar Kokhba revolt
The Bar Kokhba revolt is a very important topic in my Judaism texts by Neusner, Boyarin, Annette Reed and other scholars I have been reading. It is not very clear on what ancient texts in early antiquity cover the revolt. I am studying the secondary sources and research on this topic. I want to do a Greek point of view and a Roman point of view on the revolt. Can Logos tell me what ancient texts covers the Bar Kokhba revolt? And yes I did try google search and Factbook search on the topic and that is where I got the information to go to Cassius Dio and Eusebius. I am aware that in 132 CE, the Jews of Judea, under the leadership of Simon bar Kokhba, launched a massive military uprising against the Roman Empire. It was the third and last escalation of the Jewish–Roman hostilities, lasting until 135 or early 136 AD. The Bar Kokhba uprising ended in complete Jewish defeat. Bar Kokhba was murdered by Roman forces at Betar in 135 and the remaining Jewish rebels were either slaughtered or sold into slavery the following year. I have read Cassius Dio, Roman History book 69 and Eusebius, History of the Church 4.6.1-4. I want to find other texts from antiquity on the revolt. Can Logos Bible Software help me with this kind of request? I am thinking this would be like a Bible text search but I do not know how to do it for primary ancient sources. I am working on reading this resource as it is open access at the moment. https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/abstract/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1056 It seems that Werner Eck is a major scholar on the topic but it is mostly in language other than English. I also have read these sources.
https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rec3.12320
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Did you try a chatbot?
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ChatGPT
The Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE) is documented in several ancient sources, both Jewish and Roman. These texts provide a range of perspectives on the events and figures involved in the revolt. Here are some of the key sources:
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Cassius Dio's Roman History: Cassius Dio, a Roman historian, provides a detailed account of the Bar Kokhba revolt in his work "Roman History." Book 69 is particularly relevant, where he describes the causes, events, and consequences of the revolt from a Roman perspective.
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Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Eusebius, a Christian historian, briefly mentions the Bar Kokhba revolt in his "Ecclesiastical History." He discusses the impact of the revolt on the Jewish and early Christian communities.
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The Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud: These Jewish texts include references to the Bar Kokhba revolt. The Talmudic references are scattered and often come in the form of rabbinic commentary and reflections on the revolt's impact on Jewish law and life.
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Midrashic Literature: Various Midrashim (Jewish biblical commentaries) include references to Bar Kokhba and the revolt, often discussing the figure of Bar Kokhba (Simon bar Kokhba) and the spiritual and communal consequences of the revolt.
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Bar Kokhba Letters: Discovered in the Judaean Desert, these letters are primary documents from the period of the revolt. Written by Bar Kokhba and his administration, they provide direct insight into the leadership, logistics, and concerns of the rebels.
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The Dead Sea Scrolls: Some texts among the Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly those found in the Cave of Letters, are associated with the Bar Kokhba revolt. These documents include personal letters, legal contracts, and other materials that shed light on the daily lives of those involved in the revolt.
These sources collectively offer a multifaceted view of the Bar Kokhba revolt, highlighting both the military and socio-political aspects of this significant historical event.
EDIT: I reread your post and see that you were already aware of most of these. Sorry.
A Bible search will only search Bible type resources. Most if not all of those were written well before the revolt so I do not see where such a search would turn up anything.
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Thanks Roy. I always appreciate everyone's contribution to my questions. Can someone tell me where the Jerusalem Talmud, Midrashic Literature, and the Babylonian Talmud refer to the Bar Kokhba revolt?
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Google remains your friend:
https://www.judaism-and-rome.org/jerusalem-talmud-ta%E2%80%98anit-46-68d-69a
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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You said that you looked in the Factbook, but I am a little confused because the Lexham Bible Dictionary entry on Bar Kokhba (the top result in Factbook) directly answers your question.
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There are no reliable sources for the origins of Bar Kokhba or unbiased literary accounts of his war—all come from participants who are clearly for or against him. Our only reliable firsthand accounts of the figure come from his letters, which were discovered in the Judaean desert. The subject matter of the texts is mundane—mostly legal documents and orders. They indicate that he exerted power not only in military matters but also regarding economic and religious issues. Several of the documents are land leases of property reclaimed by Bar Kokhba from the Romans during the revolt (Jagersma, A History of Israel, 154–55, 157). However, there are no known laws, rulings, or interpretations of Scripture by him (Oppenheimer, The Bar Kokhba Revolt, 65).
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Portrayal in the Extant Accounts
Bar Kokhba’s failure to defeat the Romans led to devastating repercussions for the inhabitants of Judaea. The city of Jerusalem was made into the Roman colony Aelia Capitolina, with a shrine to Jupiter on the Temple Mount. Jews were banished from the city. The heavy tax burden imposed on Judaea caused an economic crisis that forced many Jews to leave the province (Marks, The Image of Bar Kokhba, 8–9). Many of the villages in Judaea were decimated and their land confiscated by the Romans. The rebels that were not killed were sold into slavery, and many of the women were forced to work in brothels (Oppenheimer, Ethical and Halakhic Responses, 109; Jagersma, A History of Israel, 160). The final victory of the Romans was considered a major triumph because of the great difficulties the Judaeans, as combatants, caused for the Romans.Rabbinic Accounts
Rabbinic accounts depict Bar Kokhba as a hero who exhibited great pride in his own strength, and whose failure is upheld as a negative example. Though he is never called a גִּבּוֹר (gibbor, “strong man, hero”), he is described similarly to other national heroes—like Samson—whose ends were brought about by reliance in personal strength instead of God. Rabbinic legends depict him performing feats of superhuman strength and making prayers for God not to intervene in the war. The proclamation of messiahship by Rabbi Akiba is the exception in rabbinic literature (Marks, The Image of Bar Kokhba, 20, 27, 33). He was otherwise depicted by the rabbis as a false messiah who served as a warning against following messianic pretenders.Christian Accounts
In Christian accounts, Bar Kokhba is depicted as a villain. Bar Kokhba is credited with ordering a general conscription of Jewish Christians, and punishing those who refused to fight in the revolt for Judaea (Malamat, A History of the Jewish People, 332). Justin Martyr, writing between AD 140 and 150, charged Bar Kokhba with persecuting Christians. Eusebius called him a murderer and robber, but at the same time credits him with miracles and supernatural signs. In this regard, he may have been considered an antichrist figure by the early church fathers (Mildenberg, Coinage, 80; Kanael, Notes on the Dates, 57).
Alex Ramos, “Bar Kokhba,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).The bibliography to that article includes several useful leads.
- Cotton, Hannah. “The Bar Kokhba Revolt and the Documents from the Judaean Desert: Nabataean Participation in the Revolt (P. Yadin 52).” Pages 133–152 in The Bar Kokhba War Reconsidered. Tübingen: Gulde—Druck, 2003.
- Gichon, Mordechai. “New Insight into the Bar Kokhba War and a Reappraisal of Dio Cassius 69:12–13.” Jewish Quarterly Review 77.1 (1986): 15–43.
- Marks, Richard G. The Image of Bar Kokhba in Traditional Jewish Literature: False Messiah and National Hero. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994.
- Marks, Richard Gordon. “Dangerous Hero: Rabbinic Attitudes toward Legendary Warriors.” Hebrew Union College Annual 54 (1983): 181–194.
- Novenson, Matthew V. “Why Does R. Akiba Acclaim Bar Kokhba as Messiah?” Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period 40.4–5 (2009): 551–572.
- Schäfer, Peter. “Bar Kokhba and the Rabbis.” Pages 1–22 in The Bar Kokhba War Reconsidered. Tübingen: Gulde—Druck, 2003.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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It was not the top result. It listed the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Thanks for the hit to LBD.
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That's interesting. I thought LBD was always the featured result. I have AYBD prioritized above LBD and it always shows Lexham for me when it has a matching article.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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Justin Gatlin said:That's interesting. I thought LBD was always the featured result. I have AYBD prioritized above LBD and it always shows Lexham for me when it has a matching article.
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That is what I thought too Justin.
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Christian Alexander said:
It was not the top result. It listed the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Thanks for the hit to LBD.
Don't only look at the top result. Same with Google. There are often gems hidden further down.
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