Jewish diaspora
Under the Roman Empire
See also: History of the Jews in the Roman Empire
The 13th-century author Bar Hebraeus gave a figure of 6,944,000 Jews in the Roman world. Salo Wittmayer Baron considered the figure convincing.[40]
The figure of seven million within and one million outside the Roman world in the mid-first century became widely accepted, including by Louis Feldman.
However, contemporary scholars now accept that Bar Hebraeus based his figure on a census of total Roman citizens and thus, included non-Jews.
The figure of 6,944,000 being recorded in Eusebius' Chronicon.[41]: 90, 94, 104–05 [42]
Louis Feldman, previously an active supporter of the figure, now states that he and Baron were mistaken.[43]: 185
Philo gives a figure of one million Jews living in Egypt.
John R. Bartlett rejects Baron's figures entirely, arguing that we have no clue as to the size of the Jewish demographic in the ancient world.[41]: 97–103
The Romans did not distinguish between Jews inside and outside of the Land of Israel/Judaea.
They collected an annual temple tax from Jews both in and outside of Israel.
The revolts in and suppression of diaspora communities in Egypt, Libya and Crete in 115–117 CE had a severe impact on the Jewish diaspora.