By the close of the fourth century, the Roman Empire was very considerably weakened and diminished, by the attacks of barbarian tribes on all sides.

On the death of the Emperor Theodosius, a.d. 395, all that remained of the once Roman Empire was finally divided between his two young sons: Arcadius becoming Emperor of the East, with Constantinople for his capital; Honorius Emperor of the West, with the ancient capital of Rome.

The Jews of the Eastern Empire, emboldened by the mild treatment they had experienced, now insulted the Christians. Whilst celebrating the Feast of Purim, in remembrance of their deliverance from the wicked plots of Haman, instead of hanging a figure of Haman on a gibbet, and burning it, according to custom; the Jews, in mockery of the Christians, nailed the figure to a cross, and burnt that. This, of course, greatly displeased and shocked the Christians; and the magistrates caused the houses, as well as the synagogues of the Jews, to be burnt. Laws were now made, forbidding the Jews to insult the established religion; and also forbidding the Christians to destroy the synagogues of the Jews: but these unhappy people were still subject to great cruelty and injustice from the zeal of the Christians, and the Emperor was obliged to make fresh laws, for their protection from those, who would have done well to copy the example of Him, Whose followers they professed to be.

During the early part of the fifth century, the Jews in the West, enjoyed the free exercise of their religion under the Emperor Honorius: the office of Patriarch was, however, abolished by law; and this was a great grief to the Jews, who from this time were under the direction of chiefs of the synagogues, whom they called Primates. The fifth century was remarkable for the still further curtailment of the Roman dominions, especially in the West. Britain was lost. Rome itself was plundered, and a Visigothic Empire established in Spain. The Jews of the Eastern Empire were much worse off during the fifth century than their brethren in the Western. A great number of Jews had settled at Alexandria, in the north of Egypt: they were very clever in their various trades, and therefore prospered and grew powerful; but they were not at all disposed to obey any rulers or magistrates. As early as a.d. 415, they had become much less strict in their observance of the forms and ceremonies enjoined by their religion; and instead of attending the services of the synagogue on Saturday, their Sabbath, they fell into a habit of going to witness the public amusements which took place on that day. On these occasions, there were frequent quarrels between the Jews and the Christians, and blood was often shed. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, who had an extreme hatred of the Jews, threatened them with the severest punishments; but as the governor of the city was their friend, they paid no attention to the bishop, and even laid a plot, and attacked the Christians during the night, killing many of them. Cyril, without waiting for a legal sentence against these murderers, encouraged the Christians to attack and destroy the synagogues. After doing this, the people entered the houses of all Jews, whether innocent or guilty, and robbed them of their goods, which were given up for the use of the Christian Church. The Jews were thus forced to quit the city, and Alexandria lost a useful and rich colony. The governor Orestes was much displeased at the Jews having been driven out of the city; and fresh disturbances arose in consequence, between him and Cyril.

Towards the middle of the fifth century, a man appeared in the island of Candia, pretending that he was a second Moses. There were a great many rich Jews in the island, and this impostor persuaded them that he was sent by the Almighty to deliver His people from worse than Egyptian bondage; and that the sea would be divided before them, to give them a safe passage to their own land. This man passed through every town and village in Candia, and persuaded the Jews to meet him at a particular spot on the sea-shore, on a certain day which he named. Multitudes did so, taking with them as much of their wealth as they could carry. The impostor then led the assembled multitude to the top of a rock, and ordered them to throw themselves into the sea. Men, women, and children, with a faith worthy of a better cause, at once jumped into the sea, where most of them were, of course, drowned: some were rescued from their fate by Christian fishermen. The survivors, convinced too late of the falsehood of their pretended deliverer, now attempted to seize him, but he managed to escape. Many of the Jews, ashamed of having believed in such an impostor, are said to have become Christians. What the object of this man was it is hard to see: it certainly does not seem that he was any friend to the Jews, whom he misled to their destruction.

During the fifth century, the Jewish work, called "The Talmud of Babylon," was probably compiled: like "The Talmud of Jerusalem," it contained the Misna of Judah, with other remarks and explanations. It is supposed that another work, called "The Masora," was also written at this time. The Masora fixed the true reading of the Hebrew words, and numbered the chapters and verses, and even the words and letters, of the Old Testament Scriptures. The object was, to prevent the Hebrew Scriptures from being in any way altered, and so corrupted; and therefore the Jews called the Masora "the hedge of the Law."

Towards the close of the fifth century, a tribe of Goths, called Heruli, led by their king Odoacer, put an end to the Western Empire, a.d. 476. Romulus Augustulus, the Emperor, was deposed; but his life was spared, and a pension was granted him by Odoacer, who established a kingdom of his own in Italy. He protected the Jews, who had establishments for trade and commerce at Rome, Naples, Milan, and Genoa: laws were made to defend them from the attacks of the Christians; but, nevertheless, they were often robbed and ill-used by the populace.

A few years later, a.d. 493, the kingdom of the Heruli was overthrown by the Ostrogoths; but this change in the masters of the country does not appear to have made any difference in the treatment of the Jews.

During the sixth century, the Jews in Persia were cruelly persecuted by the kings, who wanted to force them to follow the idolatrous religion of the country. Nor were the Jews on the western side of the Euphrates better off, for the Emperor Justinian, who began to reign at Constantinople a.d. 527, oppressed them most severely; and by degrees deprived them of all the privileges they had enjoyed. He took upon himself to settle all matters connected with religion: he would not allow the Jews to keep the Passover at the time they wished; nor to educate their children in their own faith; and he forbade the magistrates to receive evidence against a Christian from any Jew. Justinian also forbade the Jews of Carthage to worship God in their own way; and commanded that their synagogues should be turned into places of worship for the Christians. All these harsh measures inclined the Jews to revolt, and a man called Julian, taking advantage of this disposition, pretended to be the Messiah, whose coming the Jews still expected. Many of these unhappy people joined Julian in Palestine, confidently hoping for deliverance from their bondage: he immediately led them to attack the Christians, who, not being prepared, were defeated with great slaughter.

But the triumph of the Jews was of short duration, for Justinian sent troops, which routed the rebels entirely; Julian was taken prisoner, and immediately put to death.

Some years afterwards, the Jews of CÆsarea rebelled against the government of Justinian, and notwithstanding the hatred which existed between them and the Samaritans, the two people joined together to fight against the Christians: the governor of CÆsarea, and great numbers of the Christians, were massacred; and many of their churches were destroyed.

This rebellion was quickly put down by the troops of Justinian; many, who had taken part in it, were beheaded, and the rich were deprived of all their property.

When Belisarius, the famous general of Justinian, besieged the city of Naples, the Jews defended it most obstinately; and the length of the siege caused the death of very many of the assailants. Belisarius at length took the city: he tried to protect the Jews from the fury of his own soldiers, but his efforts were unsuccessful, and men, women, and children were murdered. The Jews were now so terrified, that they kept quiet for the remainder of the sixth century.

The seventh century was a time of great suffering for the Jews in general. Those of Antioch brought their first miseries upon themselves, by attacking the Christians a.d. 602: the Christians defended themselves bravely, but were overpowered: many were burnt in their houses; others, with their bishop, were treated with every insult, and then put to death. This rebellion was at last crushed, and the Jews were most severely punished for their cruelty.

Cyprus gives us a pleasanter picture: in spite of Adrian's edict of banishment, the Jews had again become numerous and powerful in that island; and Leontius, the Christian bishop, fearing such an insurrection as had taken place at Antioch, treated the Jews kindly, and tried by gentle means to convert them. We are told that, under his wise management, numbers really did become Christians.

In Rome, too, the bishops or pontiffs, who, under the title of Pope, began to have great power and authority over all Christians, would not allow the Jews to be persecuted.

But Heraclius, the Greek Emperor, hated the Hebrew race; and, not satisfied with persecuting them himself, stirred up other sovereigns to do the same. The Greek Empire, of which Heraclius was now Emperor, was that division of the Roman Empire which has been called hitherto the Eastern Empire, having Constantinople for its capital. There was now no Roman Empire; many of the countries that had formerly been parts of it had become separate kingdoms, under monarchs of their own. The two principal kingdoms were Spain, and Gaul, which we call France. Neither Spain nor Gaul was, however, one kingdom, but each was divided amongst several kings or rulers.