The Martyrs of Lod: Fighting for Sanctity Against Rome<\/a><\/p>In 115 CE, the Diaspora Revolt began. Jews throughout the Roman Empire grew weary of Roman oppression, fed up with Emperor Trajan's disdain, they rebelled against Roman legions and ceased paying taxes, including the "Jewish tax."<\/p>
Following revolts in Cyrene and Judea, the uprising reached Egypt, where tensions had simmered for a year. Revolts also sparked in Syria, while unrest persisted in Israel. The flame of rebellion ignited in Egypt, where Roman military commander Lupos, a Greek, was assassinated by Jews, who then pursued Greeks and Romans escaping to Alexandria with Jews in close pursuit.<\/p>
The Jewish leader was Lukos, whom some saw as the Messiah. They besieged and overtook Alexandria, destroying many Roman and Greek soldiers. A preserved papyrus reveals a letter from Oudimonis, wife of Apollonius, expressing: "May the Jews not catch you." Another papyrus describes a Roman soldier recounting: "On the twentieth day, our men entered battle but were overwhelmed, many slaughtered by Jews."<\/p>
The Jews demolished the Egyptian temple of Nemesis and seized ports to annihilate enemies fleeing by ship. Egyptian-Roman historian Appian describes his escape from Jewish forces, racing to the Nile's Pelusium port towards Roman ships. Jews charged at him with war cries from both sides; seeing the Jews had also captured his target warship, he narrowly boarded another Roman vessel and retreated, leaving many peers to face Jewish wrath.<\/p>
The Jewish triumph wasn't long-lived; the emperor soon dispatched the renowned General Quintus Turbo, who battled Jews for a year. After a prolonged, brutal conflict destroying many pagan temples as well as synagogues, the Roman army prevailed. Alexandria's Jews were annihilated, including its magnificent age-old synagogue, later discovered by archaeologists who unearthed remnants of its fortifications.<\/p>
In Cyprus, Jews, led by one Artemios, devastated the Roman stronghold of Salamis, killing 240,000 Romans. Enraged, the emperor dispatched Lucius Quietus to quash the revolt, and Cyprus's Jews met total destruction. A law decreed no Jews could enter Cyprus on penalty of death. Talmudic tales recount the mix of Jewish blood from Egypt reaching Cyprus, mingling in the Mediterranean.<\/p>
Jewish communities globally were obliterated: from Mesopotamia to Libya. An Egyptian papyrus dating 80 years post-revolt mentions annual Egyptian celebrations of their victory.<\/p>
For two years, Rome's elite forces battled Jews worldwide instead of waging Rome's foreign wars. Though Trajan crushed the Jewish communities, his grand conquest plans crumbled. It was his last war, deteriorating his health, leading to his military retirement. Romans now invoked blessings for emperors with "May you be as great as Trajan," while Jews remembered him as "Trajan the Bone Grinder."<\/p>
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