The Allied bombing of Rome on July 19 marked a crucial turning point in Italy’s involvement in the Second World War. With the razing of the capital, popular support waned among the Italian people. Benito Mussolini, his reputation in tatters, was arrested and replaced as leader by king Victor Emmanuel III. The new Italian government […]
Author Archives: marcomisano
26
Nov
Nov
No Roman holiday would be complete without indulging in the city’s renowned cuisine. And central to the capital’s culinary culture is its innovative creation: ‘la cucina ebraica-romana.’ Literally translating as ‘Jewish-Roman Cuisine’, its dishes bring out the best in Jewish and Middle Eastern flavours and Italian passion for fresh produce and simplicity. But because Jewish-Roman […]
13
Nov
Nov
Like his uncle Caligula, the emperor Nero has earned an unsavoury reputation in the annals of history, yet an interesting and overlooked aspect of his reign is the relationship between Nero and the Jews. Today’s post looks at this relationship in detail, considering where his favourable treatment of the Jews might have come from and […]
25
Oct
Oct
In the previous post we looked at Caligula’s reception of Philo’s Jewish Embassy in Rome. The meeting, documented by a Jewish grammarian, is invaluable as it provides one of the few non-Roman perspectives on the emperor Caligula, elsewhere portrayed as mad, bad, and dangerous-to-know. Today’s post looks at another run-in between Caligula and the Jews […]
08
Oct
Oct
Of all Rome’s emperors, Caligula stands among the most infamous. His reputation for being mad, bad, and dangerous-to-know has endured for nearly 2,000 since his brutal assassination, orchestrated by his disaffected Praetorian Prefect who had had enough of the emperor’s insults. The charges of cruelty and debauchery laid at Caligula’s feet are many. apparently held […]
02
Oct
Oct
Walk along the eastern side of the River Tiber, where Fabricius Bridge connects Tiber Island to the historic centre, and you’ll stumble upon something curious: the Ghettarello. Nestled between the Church of Saint Nicola in Chains and an eyesore of a modern bus stop on the road running along the Tiber is a small archaeological […]
17
Sep
Sep
Last time in our series about ancient Rome and Judea, we looked at when the Jews first made contact with the Roman Republic, forming a close alliance against a common enemy, the Seleucids, in the mid 2nd-century BC. This alliance lasted around 100 years, until 64 BC, when Pompey Magnus invaded Judea, captured Jerusalem, and […]
04
Sep
Sep
Judaea Capta Part 1: Judaea Capta The summer of 70 AD scorched as the sun beating down over Judaea, baking its desert sands. For the Roman legions surrounding Jerusalem’s city walls, the bright light reflecting off their armor was blinding. But for the people of Jerusalem these were the darkest of days. On August 30th, […]
13
Jun
Jun
The history of Jews in Rome is fraught with turbulence. Living alongside their Christian neighbors, they were subject to alternations of acceptance and suspicion, tolerance and persecution. The view of the Church and State throughout much of the Middle Ages had its roots in a position taken by Pope Alexander II. In 1063, he decreed […]
06
Jun
Jun
Shavuot is coming The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It celebrates the completion of the seven-week Omer counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The Torah was given by G‑d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai on Shavuot more than 3,300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s […]
- 1
- 2