63 BCE - 400 CE: The Era of Imperial Consolidation
In 63 BCE, the Roman General Pompey the Great captured Jerusalem, bringing the region under the influence of the Roman Republic. This marked the end of local dynastic struggles and the beginning of a centuries-long integration into the Mediterranean world power.
The Romans built massive aqueducts, theaters, and paved roads that connected the region to Europe and Egypt.
Herod the Great, a Roman client king, rebuilt the Second Temple and founded the port city of Caesarea.
Following a series of major revolts (66 - 135 CE), the Roman Empire took direct control. After the Bar Kokhba revolt, Emperor Hadrian took the significant step of reorganizing the province.
To diminish the local political identity of Judea, Hadrian renamed the province Syria Palaestina. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a Roman colony named Aelia Capitolina, featuring Roman temples and layouts that are still visible in the Old City's grid today.
This era also witnessed the birth and ministry of Jesus, which would eventually lead to the Christianization of the Roman Empire under Constantine in the 4th Century.