The instability that became the hallmark of the late Roman Republic rears its head again in the late days of the Empire. Today, we’ll explore the following questions:

1. How did Rome’s military manage to hold together the empire in the face of economic challenges?
2. What was happening in the Sassanian Empire at this time?
3. Why did Diocletian split the Roman Empire?

There are many ways to explain a text, yet Midrash remains one of the most important. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will walk us through the following questions:

1. What exactly is Midrash, and why is it important to Judaism?
2. Why are the midrashic texts of the fourth and fifth centuries considered the most authoritative?
3. How do we reconcile midrashic interpretations of the text with the simple understanding of the text that does not include the midrash?

Tacitus and Juvenal are vastly entertaining in their critiques of the world around them. As we survey these writers, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions:

1. If Tacitus’ descriptions of the Jews are outrageous, why is it important to read him?
2. How does Tacitus’ explanation of the Jewish day of rest shed light on the Roman, pagan mentality?
3. What makes Juvenal so memorable as a writer?

Recommended Reading: Tacitus on the Jews, Book V. Tacitus. Annals. Translated by Michael Grant. New York: Laurel-Leaf, 2005. "

The story of Masada is one that holds great weight in the collective Jewish memory. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

1. Why does Josephus emphasize that the Jews at Masada died on the first day of Passover?
2. Why might many religious Jews reading the story reject it as extreme?
3. How did the legacy of Masada influence the establishing of the modern state of Israel?

Recommended Reading: Josephus. Complete Works. Translated William Whiston, Grand Rapids Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960.

Josephus’ chronicling the story of the Jewish revolt would reverberate across the next two millennia of Jewish history. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

1. How does Josephus justify the Jewish revolt?
2. Why should we take seriously the position of the Sicarii, the most extreme faction during the Jewish revolt, as it pertains to the spirit of the west?
3. According to Josephus’ account, just how Jewish is the martyrdom at Masada?

Recommended Reading: Josephus. Complete Works. Translated William Whiston, Grand Rapids Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960.

Christianity and Judaism eventually split in a fundamental way. To help us explore that rift, we’ll focus on the following questions:

1. If the early Christians were Jewish and early Christianity was similar to Judaism, when and why did Christians develop such animosity towards Jews?
2. How did the Romans relate to the Christians?
3. Why was it so important for the Council of Nicaea to define Christianity and its heresies?

It is impossible to understand the west without understanding Christianity. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

1. Why is the Book of Matthew considered one of the most Jewish books of the Gospels?
2. How does Christianity fundamentally shift the covenant?
3. What makes Christianity reject Jewish ritual law?

Plutarch’s writings remain just as relevant today as they were when he wrote them. As we survey this great Roman writer, we’ll focus on the following questions:

1. Why are we indebted to Plutarch for the prominence of poetry in our literary canon?
2. According to Plutarch, why should parents invest in the education of their children?
3. How are Plutarch’s guidelines on how to learn as relevant today as they were to the imperial Roman?

Recommended Reading: Plutarch, The Education of Children. Plutarch, On Listening to Lectures.

The height of the Roman Empire will come during the second century of the common era. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

1. What caused the Third Jewish Revolt and how did the Romans respond?
2. What made Marcus Aurelius great as a Roman emperor?
3. Why were Jews and Christians persecuted under Rome if the empire was largely tolerant to other religions?

The period following the reign of Augustus was a tumultuous one in Rome. As we explore that time period, Rabbi Rocklin will help us with the following questions:

1. Was Nero actually fiddling while Rome burned?
2. What happened in Judea that caused the destruction of the Jewish temple?
3. Why were the Pharisees willing to live under the yoke of Roman rule?