After four months in power, Philip imprisoned all the Jews in his lands and demanded a ransom for their release.In 1181, he annulled all loans made by Jews to Christians and took a percentage for himself.The account is one of the most beautiful pieces of ancient Christian literature. There is reason to believe that the author of the other chapters and the editor of the entire Passion was no less a person than Tertullian, the contemporary of Perpetua and the greatest writer of the African Church at that time.It is unique as far as its authorship is concerned. 3-10) is Perpetua's own diary: 'the whole story of her martyrdom is from this point onwards told by herself as she left it written by her own hand and with her own mind' (ch. The resemblance in phrase and syntax and in words and ideas between Tertullian's works Ad Martyres and De Patientia and the Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas is striking. Augustine's time, the Acts were still held in such esteem that he has to warn his listeners not to put them on a level with the canonical Scriptures (De anima et eius origine I, 10, 12).In the 6 century, a Jewish community thrived in Paris.A synagogue was built on the Ile de la Cite, but was later torn down and a church was erected instead.Jews also became involved in agriculture and dominated the field of viticulture; they even provided the wine for Mass.The First Crusade (1096-99) had no immediate effect on the Jews of France, however, in Rouen, statements were made by the Crusaders justifying their persecution of Jews across Europe.
Despite the persecution, Jews managed to remain active in money-lending and commerce.
After the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, boats filled with Jewish captives landed in Bordeaux, Arles and Lyons.
Archeological finds of Jewish objects with menorahs imprinted on them date back to the first through fifth century.
More anti-Jewish persecutions took place in the western provinces during the rule of Louis IX (1226-70).
In 1236, crusaders attacked the Jewish communities of Anjou and Poitou and tried to baptize all the Jews, those that resisted were killed. In 1240, Jews were expelled from Brittany and the famous disputation of the Talmud began in Paris.