Hadrian introduced pan-Hellenistic policies throughout the East and one of his projects was to create a new, pagan polis on the ruins of Jerusalem, with a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter on Temple Mount. Dio Cassius, the Roman historian who is our chief source for these years, says the Jews did not dare rise while Hadrian was in the East, though they armed secretly and built hidden fortifications. There were two legions stationed in the area. But as soon as Hadrian departed, the Jews of Judaea struck and, says Dio, ‘the Jews in the entire world also rose and joined them and created a great
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