The Romans were a very successful imperial power.
For centuries, the people of Israel had been dominated by
other countries. First it was the Egyptians, then the Assyrians,
the Persians, and the Greeks. By the first century AD Palestine
was part of the Roman empire.
Herod the Great, a Jew, ruled Palestine on behalf of the Jews. He was able to restore the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed during Greek rule.
By the time of Jesus, parts of Palestine were ruled by the
son of Herod the Great.
There were many obvious benefits of Roman rule for people who
lived in the empire. The Romans built a network of roads and
bridges, which allowed trade and freedom of travel around the
empire. On the whole they respected local customs and religious
practices and most people were able to live together in peace.
Some of the aspects of Roman rule which may seem hard or cruel to
us - slavery, executions, military campaigns - were part of the
life of the time. If anything, the Roman empire improved life for
many people.
