The Temple Tax Redirected as a New Punitive Roman Tax on the Jews
He also imposed a tax on all Jews, wherever they lived, requiring them to pay two drachmas a head each year into the Capitol, the same contribution they had previously made to the temple at Jerusalem. So that was how things stood with the Jews at this date.
Engage with this Source
Related Guide
The First Jewish Revolt
66–73
Trace the causes and battles of the First Jewish Revolt, from the siege of Jerusalem to the destruction of the Temple and the fall of Masada.
Restricted
Related Guide
Temple Sacrifices and Rituals
2nd Century BCE–3rd Century
Restricted
Related Guide
Temple and Priesthood in Ancient Judaism
4th Century BCE–6th Century CE
You may also like
The Half Shekel as Ransom for the Soul
Who Is the Heir of Divine Things 186
And was not the consecrated didrachmon portioned out on the same principle? We are meant to consecrate one half of it, the drachma, and pay it as ransom for our own soul (Ex. xxx. 12, 13), which God…
Philo on the Jews’ Permission to Collect the Temple Tax
On the Embassy to Gaius 314–316
But there is one letter which I subjoin here to convince you, my lord and master, sent by Gaius Norbanus Flaccus declaring what Caesar had written to him. Here is a transcript of this letter. ‘Gaius…
Josephus on the Jews’ Permission to Collect the Temple Tax
Jewish Antiquities 16.166–171; 18.312–313
“Caesar to Norbanus Flaccus, greetings. As for those Jews, however many there may be, who have been accustomed, according to their…
The Mishnah on Collecting the Temple Tax
m. Shekalim 1:1, 3; 3:3–4
1:1. On the first of Adar, they announce the [upcoming collection of] shekels and [removal of] unlawful mixtures [of produce]. [ . . . ]
3. On the fifteenth of [Adar…
Philo on the Showbread
On the Special Laws 1.172–175
But on each seventh day loaves are exposed on the holy table equal in number to the months of the year in two layers of six each, each layer corresponding to the equinoxes. For there are two equinoxes…
The Mishnah on the Showbread
m. MenaḤot 11:5–9
5. The table was ten [handbreadths] in length and five [handbreadths] in width. The showbread was ten [handbreadths] in length and five [handbreadths] in width. [The priest] would place the length [of…