FICUS JUDAICUS

DID YOU KNOW: That after the first, or "Great Jewish Revolt," in 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. Rome then imposed the Fiscus Judaicus  or Jewish Tax, which replaced the traditional half-shekel Temple tax that Jews paid for the maintenance of the Temple in Jerusalem. This was a punitive tax levied on all Jews throughout the Roman Empire, regardless of their involvement in the revolt. It was directed towards the reconstruction of the Temple of Jupiter in Rome, which was a significant humiliation for the Jewish population. This tax was applied to a broader segment of the Jewish population, including women, children, and elderly, unlike the previous Temple tax which was only paid by adult men. This financial burden, only increased discontent and unrest among the Jewish population. 442