Josephus on demonstrations
Josephus (born around 37 C.E.) was an important Judean leader at the time of the Judean revolt of 66-70 C.E. against Roman imperial occupation. He was a commander of the uprising in Galilee and was captured by the Roman army. His life was spared because he agreed to collaborate with the Romans. After the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70, Josephus lived the rest of his life in Rome, was given Roman citizenship, and befriended the Emperors Titus and Vespasian. His most famous writings are The Jewish War and The Jewish Antiquities What is especially important about Josephus are his vivid descriptions of the diverse forms of Judean resistance to the Roman occupying forces at the time of the "Jesus movement." For example, here is how Josephus recounts a case of civil disobedience (perhaps the earliest in recorded history) against Pontius Pilate's brutal rule as the Roman procurator or governor of Judea.
"As procurator of Judaea Tiberius sent Pilate, who during the night, secretly and under cover, conveyed to Jerusalem the images of Caesar known as standards. When day dawned this caused great excitement among the Jews; for those who were near were amazed at the sight, which meant that their laws had been trampled on--they do not permit any graven image to be set up in the City--and the angry City mob was joined by a huge influx of people from the country. They rushed off to Pilate in Caesarea, and begged him to remove the standards from Jerusalem and to respect their ancient customs. When Pilate refused, they fell prone all round his house and remained motionless for five days and nights. "The next day Pilate took his seat on the tribunal in the great stadium and summoned the mob on the pretext that he was ready to give them an answer. Instead he gave a pre-arranged signal to the soldiers to surround the Jews in full armour, and the troops formed a ring three deep. The Jews were dumbfounded at the unexpected sight, but Pilate, declaring that he would cut them to pieces unless they accepted the images of Caesar, nodded to the soldiers to bare their swords. At this the Jews as though by agreement fell to the ground in a body and bent their necks, shouting that they were ready to be killed rather than transgress the Law. Amazed at the intensity of their religious fervour, Pilate ordered the standards to be removed from Jerusalem forthwith."Although this act was temporaily successful, it is worth noting that in the next paragraph in his text Josephus goes on to explain how Pilate learned from, and didn't repeat his previous mistake. An exceptionally clear historical case of ruling-class tactical adjustment to popular resistance!
"After this he stirred up further trouble by extending the sacred treasures known as Corban on an aqueduct fifty miles long. This roused the populace to fury, and when Pilate visited Jerusalem they surrounded the tribunal and shouted him down. But he had foreseen this disturbance, and had made the soldiers mix with the mob, wearing civilian clothing over their armour, and with orders not to draw their swords but to use clubs on the ostreperous. He now gave the signal from the tribunal and the Jews were cudgelled, so that many died from their blows, and many were trampled to death by their friends as they fled. The fate of those who perished horrified the crowd into silence."(Passages quoted from Josephus, The Jewish War, translated by G. A. Williamson, revised by E. Mary Smallwood. [NY: Penguin, 1981], pp. 138-139.)
