This study focuses on a relatively neglected but momentous period in Judean history, which saw the end of the Hasmonean dynasty and the beginning of Roman domination of Judea, in the middle part of the first century BCE, leading up to the kingship of Herod (67-37 BCE). In this period renowned Roman figures such as Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Gaius Cassius (a conspirator against Caesar), and Mark Anthony, led the Roman Republic on the eve of its transformation into an Empire, each having his own dealings with--and holding sway over--Judea at different times. Beyond a historical reconstruction this volume explores the impact of the Roman conquest on the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls, enhances the understanding of later Judean-Roman relations and the roots of the Great Revolt, and examines how this early period of Roman domination had on impact on later developments in Judean society and religion.
