Image Details

A letter in Greek, sent by Bar-Kokhba (Sim‘on ben Kosibah) to his lieutenants, shows how common the use of Greek was in second-century Palestine. Despite being the leader of the highly nationalistic, Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (132–135 A.D.), Bar-Kokhba admits that the letter “has been written in Greek because a [de]sire has not be[en] found to w[ri]te in Hebrew.” The text, which calls on his lieutenants to send wooden beams and citrons for the celebration of Succoth, is also remarkable because it bears the name Soumaios, thought to be the Greek form of Bar Kokhba’s given name, Sim‘on.