BYU Studies Quarterly
Keywords
Mormon studies, Roman army, Judea, military
Abstract
At the time of Jesus, the Roman army was at the height of its power and prestige. In the preceding four centuries, Roman legions had raised Rome from a small regional city-state to master of the entire Mediterranean world. Barring a few notable defeats—such as during the war against Hannibal or the battle of the Teutoberg Forest—Roman arms had proved victorious against Gauls, Germans, Iberians, Britons, Mauritanians, Numidians, Cartheginians, Libyans, Egyptians, Illyrians, Macedonians, Greeks, Thracians, Capadocians, Armenians, Persians, Syrians, Arabs, and Judeans, creating one of the greatest military empires of world history. The overwhelming military power of Rome was the most important political reality in Judea at the time of Christ.
Recommended Citation
Hamblin, William J.
(1996)
"The Roman Army in the First Century,"
BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 36:
Iss.
3, Article 24.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol36/iss3/24