Page 384 - ILIAS ATHANASIADIS AKA RO1

Although it is doubtful that Galilee was as affluent in the 1st century as it was
during the late Roman and Byzantine periods, archaeological remains from the

3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries nevertheless confirm the plausibility of 1st-century
references to the region’s prosperity.

There were, of course, landless people, but the Herodian dynasty was careful to

organize large public works projects that employed thousands of men.

Desperate poverty was present too but never reached a socially dangerous level.
At the other end of the economic spectrum, few if any Palestinian Jews had the

vast fortunes that successful merchants in port cities could accumulate.

However, there were Jewish aristocrats with large estates and grand houses, and
the merchants who served the Temple (supplying, for example, incense and

fabric) could become very prosperous.

The gap between rich and poor in Palestine was obvious and distressing to the
poor, but, compared with that of the rest of the world, it was not especially wide.

The Jewish religion in the 1st century

Judaism, as the Jewish religion came to be known in the 1st century ce, was based

on ancient Israelite religion, shorn of many of its Canaanite characteristics but
with the addition of important features from Babylonia and Persia.

The Jews differed from other people in the ancient world because they believed

that there was only one God.

Like other people, they worshipped their God with animal sacrifices offered at a
temple, but, unlike others, they had only one temple, which was in Jerusalem.

The sanctuary of the Jewish temple had two rooms, as did many of the other

temples in the ancient world, but the second room of the Jewish temple was
empty. There was no idol representing the God of Israel.

The Jews also believed that they had been specially chosen by the one God of the

universe to serve him and obey his laws.