BAR KOKHBA (147)

Also called BAR KOZIBA.

Jewish leader who led an unsuccessful revolt against Roman dominion in Palestine.

During his tour of the eastern empire in 131, the Roman emperor Hadrian decided upon a policy of Hellenization to integrate the Jews into the empire.

Circumcision was proscribed, a Roman colony was founded in Jerusalem and a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus was erected over the ruins of the Jewish Temple.

Enraged by these measures the Jews rose in revolt the following year and Simeon bar Kosba, an able and energetic leader, emerged as its head. No records of the revolt survive but it apparently enjoyed initial success taking the form of guerrilla warfare. Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph, a highly esteemed teacher, enthusiastically supported the rebels and conferred upon their leader the name Bar Kokhba (Son of the Star) a messianic allusion.

Bar Kokhba took the title nasi (prince) and struck his own coins.
Jewish Christians remained passive in the war and Bar Kokhba showed dislike toward them.

In 134 Hadrian summoned the aid of Gaius Julius Severus, governor of Britain, who by utilizing small unit tactics, gradually wore down the rebels and constricted their area of operation.

In August 135 Bar Kokhba himself was killed at Bethar, his stronghold southwest of Jerusalem. The remnants of his army made a stand near the Dead Sea, but a Roman manhunt crushed the rebellion and harsh policy drove the Jews from Palestine.

With the failure of the revolt, Bar Kokhba was referred to by some as Bar Koziba, a pun referring to the Hebrew word for liar.

In 1960 letters of Bar Kokhba were found in a cave near the Dead Sea.