If you have that many dudes, why would you not send all of them?

>>571180
Didn't they have elite assassins?

>>571185

But they didn't have "that many dudes", sending that much force to Judea left the border stripped up by the Danube; and while nothing slipped through at the time, it was a pretty nasty risk to take.

Not to mention the expense in shipping troops halfway across the empire. Generally, the Emperors wanted to keep the troops where they were if at all possible.

There is a quote i love, "The jews are the only enemy you a legionaire will face who will stab you, then sue you as soon as you turn around." Basically it wasnt just the rebels, it was everyone fighting the romans, a jewish total war. They were also just super fanatical

>>571180
>Bar Kokhba revolt

Jews were still pissed since 63 C.E. when Rome fucked up their shit hard.

Rome sent 12 legions more as a show of force that a necessity.

>>571202

The "Great revolt" was 66-70, not in 63.

And I don't know, it seemed pretty necessary. Hadrian broke the tradition of saying "I and the Legions are well" when formally writing to the Senate over the revolt, and Legio XXII was wiped out, with IX and X pretty badly mauled.

They heard Rome had some shekels.

>>571212
>The "Great revolt" was 66-70, not in 63.

I have my own theory/historical reasons for choosing the periodization I did.

>>571315

Which are?

>>571180
>What the hell made a bunch of desert jews so tough?

Faith in God

Because Bar Kokhba was the true messiah.

>>572459

Wouldn't the true messiah have won?

>>572676
Not against Romans.