A recent study led by Haggai Olshanetsky, a researcher at the University of Warsaw, has changed the historical perception of the Bar Kokhba Revolt or Second Jewish Revolt (sometimes also called the Third Jewish-Roman War) against the Roman Empire between 132 and 136 CE.

According to this analysis, Simon Bar Kokhba, traditionally regarded as the undisputed leader of the uprising, assumed control amid the conflict by displacing or eliminating the original leaders. This revelation challenges the narrative established by Roman and Judeo-Christian sources and sheds new light on the events of this historic rebellion.

Olshanetsky, who also teaches in an international program on ancient civilizations, argues that an unbiased and straightforward reading of historical sources suggests that Simon Bar Kokhba’s hegemony was not present at the outset of the revolt.

Simon bar Kochba Revolt
Rebel-controlled territory, in blue. Credit: Rh0809 / Wikimedia Commons

Instead, leadership likely fell into his hands as a result of political and military maneuvers during the progression of the conflict. This perspective helps resolve multiple contradictions between Roman and Judeo-Christian accounts, as well as discrepancies in archaeological data, such as the distribution of coins minted by the rebels.

The research also delves into the complexity of the conflict, pointing out that internal polarization within Jewish society and the influence of radical groups significantly contributed to the failure of the uprising. In fact, archaeological evidence and texts discovered in the Cave of Letters suggest that several settlements, such as Tekoa and Tel Adirin, withdrew or even actively opposed Simon Bar Kokhba’s leadership.

Finally, we have a coherent narrative about the Second Jewish Revolt that resolves its gaps and contradictions, Olshanetsky states. According to the researcher, this approach not only reconfigures our understanding of the conflict but also highlights the internal divisions that led to the rebels’ defeat and destruction, preventing the establishment of an independent and prosperous state.

Simon bar Kochba Revolt
The Cave of Letters is the name of a cave in Nahal Heber, in the Judean desert, where important finds from the time of the Bar Kojba rebellion were discovered, including letters written by Bar Kojba to the inhabitants of Ein Gedi. Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority / Wikimedia Commons

The theory that there were numerous leaders at the beginning aligns with Dio Cassius’s description and explains why, unlike Judeo-Christian sources, Simon Bar Kokhba does not appear in Roman accounts, explains Olshanetsky. He adds that insurgents from the ranks of the Roman army helped arm the rebellion with weapons manufactured for the legions, possibly as early as 130 CE. According to this theory and the opinions of other scholars, the Jews rebelled publicly in mid-131 CE after Hadrian’s return to Rome.

It is possible that former Jewish soldiers of the Roman army led the rebels to a series of significant victories during this phase of the conflict. However, between late 132 and early 133 CE, the extremist Simon Bar Kokhba and the priest Eleazar deposed and/or eliminated other leaders, many of whom might have come from Roman ranks. As a result, many distant territories that participated in the revolt, such as Galilee, decided to withdraw and rejoin the Romans.

This shift and the fact that leadership in the first part of the war came from Roman ranks help explain why the rebels were so successful initially but ultimately failed completely, concludes the researcher.

SOURCES

Olshanetsky, H. (2024). The Identity of the Leaders of the Second Jewish Revolt and Bar Koseba’s True Role in the Insurrection. Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 1–21. doi.org/10.1080/00310328.2024.2435788

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