Revelation 6:3,4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And when he had opened the second seal,— The second seal or period is noted for war and slaughter; and was proclaimed by the second living creature, which was like an ox, and had his station in the West: and in the account hereof, Bishop Newton, Lowman, &c. nearly agree. The second period, says the former, commenced with Trajan, who came from the West, being a Spaniard by birth, and was the first foreigner who was elevated to the imperial throne. In his reign, and that of his successor Adrian, there were horrid wars and slaughters, and especially between the rebellious Jews and the Romans. The Jews about Cyrene slew of the Romans and Greeks two hundred and twenty thousand men, with most shocking circumstances of barbarity; in Egypt and Cyprus two hundred and forty thousand more. But the Jews in their turn were subdued by Lucius and other generals sent against them by Trajan. These things were transacted in the reign of Trajan; andin the reign of Adrian was their great rebellion under their false Messiah, Barchochab, and their final dispersion, after fifty of their strongest castles, and nine hundred and eighty-five of their best towns had been demolished, and after five hundred and eighty thousand men had been slain by the sword, besides an immense multitude who had perished by famine, sickness, and other casualties; with great loss and slaughter too of the Romans, insomuch that the emperor forbore the usual salutations in his letters to the senate. Here was another illustrious triumph of Christ over hisenemies; and the Jews and the Romans, both the persecutors of Christians, were remarkably made the executioners of divine vengeance upon one another. The great sword and the red horse, Revelation 6:4 are expressive emblems of this slaughtering and bloody period; and the proclamation for slaughter is fitly made by a creature like an ox that is destined for slaughter. This period continued during the reigns of Trajan and his successors, by blood or adoption, about ninety-five years. See 2 Kings 3:23-24.