The Continuous History of the Jewish People

Years covered: 314-352The creation of the portable Jewish calendar ushers in the shift to Babylonia as the centre of the Jewish world. But its a world on the move, as the centre of the Roman world moves out of Italy.

Years covered: 280-314JewsRavaAbayeRav Huna ✗Rabbah bar Nahmani ✗Abaye's foster motherRav ChisdaRabbi AbbahuGamliel IVJudah III (?)PersiansBahram II ✗KartirNarseh ✗Hormizd II ✗ ShapurRomansCarus ✗Carinus ✗Numerian ✗Diocletian ✗Maximian xGalerius ✗Constantius ✗LiciniusMaximinus Daza ✗Constantine Maxentius ✗ GreeksEusebius of CaesareaOtherIfra Hormizd

Years covered: 202-235Rabbis who were Doctors, Rabbis who were Astronomers, Rabbis who were Gladiators. Rabbi Judah haNasi leaves the Mishna, but that's not the end of the conversation.JewsJudah haNasi (Yehuda HaNasi) ✗Rav Shila ✗Gamliel ben Judah (Gamliel III) ✗Yohanan bar Nappaha (Rabbi Yohanan)Abba bar Ibo / Abba Arikha / RavRabbi HiyyaIlfaShimon ben Lakish (Resh Lakish)Yohanan's sisterShmuel of NehardeaShmuel's father (Abba bar Abba)Levi ben SisiJudah Nesiah (Judah II)Hoshiah RabbahRomansCaracalla ✗Julia Domna ✗Flavius Maternianus ✗Macrinus ✗Diadumenian ✗Elagabalus ✗Severus Alexander ✗Julia Mamaea ✗Julia Maesa"Antoninus" (associate of Judah haNasi)Cassius DioPersiansArtabanus IV ✗Ardashir IGreeksOrigen

Years covered: 161-217The creation of what would become the Talmud begins, as the remnants of the Jews of Judea attempt to streamline their oral and ritual laws in a written document. And who was the Antoninus of the Talmud? We look at the suspects.JewsShimon bar Yochai — XRabban Shimon Ben Gamliel — XRabbi Meir — XJudah Bar Ilai — XRabbi Eleazar Ben Shamua — XRabbi Yose Ben Halafta — XElazar Ben Shimon — XIshmael Ben Jose — XJudah haNasi — XGamliel (Judah's son)Shimon (Judah's son)RomansAntoninus Pius — XMarcus Aurelius — XLucius Verus — XCommodus — XMarcus Severianus — XAvidius Cassius — XJulia Cassia AlexandraLucilla — XPertinax — XDidius Julianus — XPescennius Niger — XClodius Albinus — XSeptimius Severus — XGeta — XCaracalla — XCassius DioGreeksAlexander the Paphlagonian — XGalen — XLucian of Samosata — XPersians/ParthiansVologases IV

Years covered: 136-161There is no Temple, the Rabbis are fugitives, circumcision is illegal and the dead bodies of the Jews of Judea haven't even been buried yet. So Jews do what they've always done: start a school, and start again.JewsJudah Hanasi (born during the Bar Kochba revolt)Shimon Ben Gamliel II (Judah's father, the Nasi at Usha)Judah Bar IlaiRabbi MeirBeruria Rabbi Shimon Bar YochaiElazar ben Shimon (son of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai)Rabbi Jose Ben HalaftaElazar Ben ShamuaRabbi Natan Elisha Ben Abuya Hanania Ben Ahi Rav Yehoshua  Trypho GreeksJustin Martyr (Greek philosopher born in Judea, Christian apologist)Marcion of Sinope (from the Greek city of Sinope; died ~160)RomansHadrian xLucius Aelius Commodus xAntoninus Pius xMarcus AureliusLucius Verus Suetonius SourcesBabylonian Talmud (Bavli) Berakhot 57b, 63a–b  Shabbat 33b, 49b, 118b 9. Pesachim 118aChagigah 15b Horayot 13b Avodah Zarah 10a–11a, 18a–b ,44b 15. Sanhedrin 14a, 39a, 91a–b Kiddushin 71a, 72bJerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi) Berakhot 3:1 Yoma 3:7Pesachim 4:1 Chagigah 2:1Sanhedrin 1:2 Nedarim 6:8 (MidrashBereshit Rabbah Vayikra RabbahBamidbar Rabbah Tanchuma TazriaShir HaShirim Rabbah Eichah Rabbah Greek and Syriac works Justin Martyr, Dialogue with TryphoSuetonius, 12 CaesarsIrenaeus, Against HeresiesEpiphanius, Panarion

It's looking like we are back for Season 2 on May 3rd!

Happy Nicanor's Day! This special episode isn't as narrative, but a collection of interesting things I uncovered in my research that didn't really fit in to the narrative, but I thought were interesting nonetheless. We'll see a straight-branched menorah (made of iron spits), the first blood libel, and tour of Jewish calendar with all the feasts and holidays you've never heard of!

Just a quick message on what to expect in the first half of 2026!