The Jewish Revolt 66-70
AD
“And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones
and offerings, he said, ‘As for these things which you see, the days will
come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not
be thrown down.’ And they asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and
what will be the sign when this is about to take place?’” (St. Luke 21, 5-7).
The time for the fulfillment of these prophetic words would come while
Nero was at the height of his madness and depravity. As Nero’s exercise of
power grew unchecked, he would appoint officers similar to himself in
nature – cruel, greedy and foolish. Two such men were appointed
successively as Procurators of Judea – Albinius and Florus. Their
respective rules were sufficiently corrupt and unjust to drive the Jews, who
for decades had been simmering with agitation, into open revolt.
The revolutionaries, who had hitherto been divided into competing
factions, laid aside their quarrels to form a single force against the hated
Romans – the Zealots (or “Sicarii” – “daggermen”). The majority of
Pharisees, fearing a recurrence of Caligula’s attempts to desecrate the
Temple and inspired by Messianic hopes, joined the Zealots. Riots broke
out in Caesarea and elsewhere against local Greeks and then in Jerusalem
itself. The fortress stronghold of Masada with its store of arms was
captured. The priest Eleazar then prevailed upon the High Priest to end
public prayers for the Emperor in the Temple. This was the signal for
universal revolt. By the end of August 66 AD, the whole of Jerusalem was
in the hands of the Zealots. The Roman garrison was induced to surrender
under promise of safe passage from Judea. The promise was not kept, and
the garrison was massacred.
In response, the Governor of Syria, Gallus, brought down the Twelfth
Legion (Fulminata – the “Thundering One”) to suppress the revolt.
Marching down the coast, he successfully entered Jerusalem and besieged
the Temple Mount, before a Jewish counter-attack drove the Legion out of
the city. Retreating through Beth-horon (the scene of great victories won by
Joshua and Judas Maccabeus), the Romans were attacked. The Twelfth
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