CHAPTER 1: THE SHADOWS OF THE ROMAN CITY

CHAPTER 1: THE SHADOWS OF THE ROMAN CITY Narrator: Ibn Gabirol (Shelomó ibn Gabirol, 1021-1058/70) Direction&Production: Javier Bona López This inaugural chapter explores the origins of Jewish presence in Zaragoza, tracing back to Roman Caesaraugusta in the 1st century CE. Ibn Gabirol, our narrator, guides the listener through two thousand years of history, from the fall of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE to the Christian conquest by Alfonso I in 1118. The episode examines how Jews arrived in Caesaraugusta seeking economic opportunities and religious freedom under Roman law. It describes the Council of Elvira (4th century), which legislated on Jewish-Christian coexistence, and analyzes the Visigothic period, characterized by persecutions and forced conversions. It then transitions to the Muslim era (714), when Saraqusta became a center of intellectual and cultural flourishing. The chapter culminates with Alfonso I's conquest in 1118 and the introduction of Eleazar/Bono, the deacon who abandoned Christian faith for Judaism in 839 CE, marking a turning point in the identity of the Zaragozan Jewish community. Key themes: Roman origins, Council of Elvira, Visigothic period, Muslim Saraqusta, Alfonso I, Eleazar/Bono, religious coexistence, Jewish diaspora, faith and resistance. Narrator: Ibn Gabirol (Shelomó ibn Gabirol, 1021-1058/70) Direction&Production: Javier Bona López