by James Thornton

Created on: July 15, 2009

Before examining the role of Rome in shaping the history of the Middle East the location of the Middle East should be defined in order to establish the scope of that influence. For the purposes of this essay the Middle East is defined as the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Egypt, Turkey, and the littoral Persian Gulf states.

The image of the Romans as a conquering and destructive empire is based in truth. The Romans ended the rule of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Another destructive act is an important Roman influence in world history as well as Middle East history. Prior to becoming known as Palestine (Latin Palestina) the modern day country of Israel and the Palestinian Authority was known as Judea. Most Judeans grudgingly accepted Roman rule and some even benefited from it. One group of Judeans bitterly opposed to Roman rule came to be known as Zealots. An extremist group of Zealots, called Sicarii ("dagger men"), adopted terrorist like tactics, assassinating Romans and some prominent Jewish collaborators. The Judeans eventually revolted against Rome in 70 AD. The insurgent's last stand was at the fortress Masada. They were able to hold the Romans off for three years until 73 AD, when in desperation, the starving 1000 remaining men, women and children committed mass suicide rather than surrender. The Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and forbid a Jewish presence in the city after a second revolt in 132 AD. This is when the Romans renamed Judea as Palestine. The destruction of the Second Temple and the Roman Diaspora is a profound event. Zionism is a reversal of the Roman actions. From a Zionist perspective, Palestine is an artificial Roman creation; therefore Palestinians have no right to the land. Some Zionists also seek to rebuild the Temple, which is said to be the location where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac. That area is currently the site of the third holiest site in Islam, and in Muslim tradition the site is where Abraham was to sacrifice Ishmael and where the Prophet Mohammad ascended into Heaven. Hard-line religious elements in both camps will not compromise on the final status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Roman Diaspora and the destruction of the Temple is a major historical grievance fueling the Arab-Israeli conflict.

However, the Romans were also master builders and engineers. They built roads and aqueducts in the region increasing trade and fostering an expansion of the population. The most famous Roman

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