Don't Get Stuck With A Flat!

the harsh suppression of unrest and widespread perception of Roman rule as oppressive. Many Roman officials were corrupt, brutal, or inept, fueling unrest even under competent governors. Florus's governorship is described by ancient sources as the tipping point that sparked the revolt. Roman historian Tacitus attributed the war to Roman misgovernance rather than Jewish rebelliousness; he noted that Jews showed restraint under harsh governors but lost patience due to Florus' actions. Similarly, Josephus wrote that the Jews preferred to die in battle rather than endure prolonged suffering under Florus' governance. The concept of "zeal"—a total commitment to God's will and law, rooted in figures like Phinehas, Elijah, and Mattathias, and driven by a belief in Israel's election—is often seen as a key driver of the revolt. While Eleazar ben Simon's faction was the only one to explicitly call itself "Zealots," historian Martin Hengel maintained that all factions rejecting foreign rule in the name of God's sole sovereignty could rightfully be included under this designation. Hengel traced this view to the intensification of Torah concepts, such as God's kingship, first manifested by Judas' "Fourth Philosophy". This ideology resurfaced in the revolt, especially among the Sicarii, who were led by Judas' descendants. Judaic scholar Philip Alexander similarly described the Zealots as a coalition of factions, united by a shared form of national