After Jacob is given Isaac's blessing as leader, Esau is given the blessing that he shall "live by the sword". Some see this as another sign of Rome, famous for her unique sword made of steel - the gladius - that smashed its way to world hegemony and on the way massacred the descendants of Jacob/Israel.
Another explanation is that Esau is described by the Bible as ancestor of the [[Edomites]], the Hebrews' neighbors (and on many occasions, enemies) to the south. King Herod, whom many Jews considered as a usurper and destroyed of the legitimate Hasmonean dynasty, was an [[Edomite ]] (though nominally converted to Judaism). And since Herod was a collaborator with the Roman rule, the ancestor of the Roman's collaborator became identified with the Romans themselves.
Later, when the Roman Empire turned Christian, Esau became perforce identified with Christianity and Christians. Although Christians have never made such a claim, the idea was reinforced by the rise of Islam, whose followers outspokenly claimed Ismael as their ancestor. Furthermore, Esau's Religious character according to the Kabbalah is described as Yesod shebe Malchut which applies to Roman Christianity very well. This created for Jews a neat symmetrical view of history, with each of the competing monotheistic religions identified with a brother of a Jewish Patriarch (Ismael, brother of Isaac, and Esau, brother of Jacob).
==Idumeans==
The [[Edomites ]] or [[Idumeans]], descendants of Esau, early peopled the country of Arabia Petrea. Their capital was Mount Seir, whence they expelled the aboriginal [[Pathrusite Nation|Horites]], and succeeded to their possessions. Two grandsons of Esau, - Teman and Amalek,
