The arrival in Palestine of the Roman general Pompey in 63 BCE marks the beginning of a new chapter in the region's history. The following decades and centuries would bring drastic changes: the end of the Hasmonean dynasty; proxy rule of Palestine by the Romans through the Herodian client kings; the piecemeal annexation of the area and, with it, the implementation of direct Roman rule through prefects and procurators; the establishment of a Roman military presence; the destruction of the Jewish temple; and the slow emergence of rabbinic Judaism. The Romans brought with them the mixture of Roman culture and Hellenistic culture characteristic of their eastern empire. To a large degree, then, Romanization included Hellenization.

Understanding the chronological development of Rome's administrative and military presence in the region is crucial for understanding the spread of Greco-Roman culture there. In this chapter, I provide an overview of Rome's military activity in Palestine, paying special attention to variations between regions and over time. I will argue that because Galilee did not receive a long-term garrison until c. 120 CE, contact with Roman soldiers in Galilee would have been uncommon in Jesus' lifetime, the story of his famous exchange with a centurion at Capernaum notwithstanding. As future chapters will demonstrate, a strong correlation exists between the arrival of Roman soldiers and the emergence of certain forms of Greco-Roman culture.