Rome vs Judea – a dichotomy of cultures

Over the last two weeks, we studied the
birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Three
Wise Men in the Christmas story. This week,
we look at what the world was like
when Jesus was born. At that time,
two very different cultures shaped
the world: the mighty empire of
Rome and the faithful land of Judea.
Rome and Judea were connected
because Rome ruled over Judea, but
they lived by very different values.
Rome stood for political power and
human authority, while Judea stood
for religious devotion and identity.
Rome, at the beginning of the first century BCE, was the center of political and
military strength. Under Caesar Augustus,
the empire enjoyed peace and stability. Roman culture valued order, discipline, and
loyalty to the state. The Senate and emperor ruled through complex government systems, while Roman soldiers kept control
across wide areas. Roads, aqueducts, and
amphitheaters showed Rome’s ability to
bring people together and create prosperity
through engineering and organization