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410 ROME
Was sacked by Alaric, king of the Visigoths. The treasures of the Second Temple fell into his hands. What remained was taken to Carthage by the Vandals (455).
415 ST. CYRIL, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA (Egypt)
Incited the Greeks to kill or expel the Jews. He forced his way into the synagogue at the head of a mob, expelled the Jews and gave their property to the crowd. The Prefect Orestes, who refused to condone this behavior, was set upon and almost stoned to death. Only one Jew, Adamanlius, agreed to be baptized. Within a few years Jews were allowed to return, but a majority of them returned only after the Mohammedans conquered Egypt.
418 MINORCA (Balearic Islands off Spain's eastern coast)
Severus, the bishop of Minorca, claimed to have forced 540 Jews to
accept Christianity upon conquering the Island. This is the first we know of
Jews on this Island as well as the first case of Jews being forced to
convert or face expulsion. Although in general forced conversions (as laid
down by Pope Gregory I) were officially frowned upon, they were considered
valid - and backsliding was usually considered heresy. Harsher "no choice"
forced conversions began in the 9th century.
419 BARSAUMA OF NISBIS (Eretz Israel)
A monk gathered a group of followers and for the next three years tried to destroy synagogues throughout the country.
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