Compare How Religion And Belief Systems Generated Conflict

QUESTION: Analyze how religion and belief systems generated conflict and reduced conflict within or among societies from 600 B.C.E. through 600 C.E. in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region.

The Role of Religion in the Middle East and the Mediterranean (600 BCE - 600 CE).

From 600 BCE to 600 CE, the Middle East and the Mediterranean region underwent a complex interaction between religion and societal/political dynamics. There was a clash between polytheistic Rome and monotheistic communities, like early Christians and Jews, which led to conflicts such as the Jewish revolts and the Jewish-Roman Wars, after the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 37 BCE. Although religion and belief systems during 600 BCE- 600 CE created conflict in the Middle East and Mediterranean region, religion and belief systems also served as a conflict reduction mechanism to help promote harmony and unity amongst the interfaith societies. However, because of the complexity of religion, more conflict had been created than resolved. The incompatibility between polytheistic Rome and monotheistic communities, such as early Christians and Jews, exemplifies how religion generated conflict during this period. Instances like the Jewish-Roman Wars and the persecution of the Jews that fueled the

For instance, the Jewish-Roman wars and the Jewish revolts were caused due to contrasting values. For further simplification, the Romans captured Jerusalem in 37 B.C.E. The Romans had no issue accepting the differing practices, however, they wanted to implement their practices, like putting up idols in synagogues alongside the god of the Jews. The Jews denied and declared only god should be worshiped and refused to put idols in synagogues. This led to many Jewish revolts and Jewish-Roman wars and caused more chaos between the two