13 It was standard Roman policy to forge alliances

WITH
THE LANDED
ARISTOCRACY IN EVERY
CAPTURED CITY, MAKING THEM
DEPENDENT ON THEIR ROMAN OVERLORDS FOR THEIR POWER
& wealth: by aligning their interests with those of the ruling class,
Rome ensured that local leaders remained wholly vested in maintaining the imperial system!
Of course, in Jerusalem, "landed aristocracy" more or less meant the priestly class, and specifically,
that handful of wealthy priestly families who maintained the Temple cult & who, as a result,
were charged by Rome with collecting the taxes and tribute & keeping order
among the increasingly restive population - tasks for which they
were richly compensated?!

The fluidity that existed in Jerusalem
between the religious & political powers made it necessary for Rome to maintain close supervision
over the Jewish cult and, in particular, over the high priest: as head of the Sanhedrin & "Leader of the Nation,"
this high priest was a figure of both religious ànd political renown with the power to decide àll religious matters,
to enforce God's law, and even to make arrests,
though only in the vicinity of the Temple!?

If the Romans wanted to control the Jews,
they hàd to control the Temple! And if they wanted to control the Temple,
they had to control the high priest, which is why, soon after taking control over Judaea,
Rome took upon itself the responsibility of appointing ànd depósing (either directly or indirectly)
the high priest, essentially transforming him into a Roman employee: Rome even kept custody
of the high priest's sacred garments, handing them out only on the sacred festivals and feast
days and confiscating them immediately after the ceremonies were completed!

Still, the Jews we're better off than some other Roman subjects:
for the most part, the Romans humored the Jewish cult, allowing the rituals and sacrifices
to be conducted without interference! The Jews were even excused from the direct worship of the emperor,
which Rome imposed upon nearly every other religious community
under its dominion?