Judea, sometimes spelled in its original Latin form Iudaea to distinguish from Judea proper, is a term used by historians to refer to the Roman province that incorporates Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, and which extends over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of Israel.

It is named after Herod Archelaus's Tetrarchy of Judea, of which it is an expansion, the latter name deriving from the Kingdom of Judah of the 6th century BCE.Rome's involvement in the area dates from 63 BCE, following the end of the Third Mithridatic War, when Rome makes Syria a province.

In this year, after the defeat of Mithridates VI of Pontus, the proconsul Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) lays siege to and enters the Jerusalem Temple.

Subsequently, during the 1st century BCE, the Herodian Kingdom is established as a Roman client kingdom and then in 6 CE parts become a province of the Roman Empire.

Judaea is the stage of three major rebellions: the Great Jewish Revolt (66–70 CE), the Kitos War (115–117 CE), and Bar Kokhba's revolt (132–135 CE).

After the last of these, the Roman Emperor Hadrian changes the name of the province to Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina in an attempt to erase the historical ties of the Jewish people to the region.