PUBLIUS VARUS INVADES JUDEA WITH ARETAS IV OF NABATEA AFTER THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT

The eclipse of 9 BC, 6 BC and the Star of Bethlehem must have been great signs to the Roman Empire. Economic conquest was at the heart of Roman Imperial doctrine. A "revolt" by Judas the Galilean after the death of Herod the Great provided a great excuse for the Roman economic transformation of ancient Israel. The town of Sepphoris in the Galilee was destroyed during the "Wars of Varus." Varus crucified 2000 men outside of Jerusalem for this revolt. Mary ,the Mother of Christ, was from Sepphoris. Nazareth was essentially a suburb of Sepphoris and was where Jesus Christ was raised as a child. It is likely that when the Holy Family returned from Egypt the area was devastated and people they had known had been killed in the invasion. The gospels report Jesus grew in " the favor of men. " His father Joseph was a carpenter. Sephorris, Tiberius, and later Bethsaida were transformed into Roman economic and religious centers. Significant Roman engineering projects and money were dedicated to "Romanize" the Galilee. Jesus may have helped construct these towns and cities. There is no better way to grow in the favor of men other than thru good construction and conquest. Herod the Great understood this principle well. Hundreds of years later every Roman temple would be destroyed or adorned with the cross. Interesting during the time of Christ the Jewish residents of the Galilee were exempt from Roman Imperial tax, unlike Samaria and Judea. According to scripture Jesus asked somebody for a Roman coin to display the picture of Caesar. Jesus was not carrying Roman coins with Caesar's picture on them.