Image: Ruins of ancient Alexandria, Egypt.
Another episode has been posted to the series on Eusebius of Caesarea’s The
Ecclesiastical History: book 4, chapters 1-2. Listen here.
Notes and Commentary:
The opening chapters of book 4 outline events during the
reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (53-117; emperor, 98-117).
Chapter one covers the succession of bishops in
Alexandria, where Primus became bishop, and Rome, where Alexander succeeded
Evarestus.
Again, we see the significance of Christians in these major
city centers and a concern to trace succession from the apostles.
Chapter two describes various woes suffered by
the Jews during this time.
A Jewish revolt in Alexandria and throughout Egypt is
described which took place in the 18th year of Trajan’s reign (c. AD
115), and while Lupus was governor of Egypt.
The Jewish leader was named Lucuas. After some initial Jewish
victories, the Roman Emperor sent Marcius Turbo to Egypt to put down the
rebellion, and he killed many Jews. The Emperor also ordered Lusius Quietus to
“clean” the Jews out of Mesopotamia for fear they would join the revolt, and
for this he was rewarded by being named governor of Judea.
Eusebius notes that these events are recorded by the Greek
historians. K. Lake notes this information is found in the writings of Dio
Cassius, but that he gives the Jewish leader’s name as Andreas, rather than
Lucuas.
Conclusion:
These chapters show the stabilization and growth of the
Christian movement and the travails of the Jews in their homeland and in Egypt
under Roman rule in the early second century. He presents Christianity as
rising and Judaism as fading. The opening sentence of chapter 2 well captures
this: “While the teaching of our Saviour and the church were flourishing daily
and moving on to further progress the tragedy of the Jews was reaching the
climax of successive woes.”
JTR
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