Early Roman Empire (27 BC-AD 193), Flavian Dynasty (69-96), Vespasian: First Jewish Revolt (69-74) [Part 2/2]

Jerusalem consisted of five parts – the New City (north), Middle City (central-north), Temple (east), Upper City (southwest) and the Lower City (southeast). Herod’s Palace was located at the northwest corner of the Upper City; the Antonia Fortress was in the northwest corner of the Temple.

Before leaving the East for Rome, Vespasian had sent his son Titus to Caesarea with orders to end the war. In 70 the Roman forces led by Titus breached the outer north wall of the New City. He now transferred his main troops into the city and breached the outer wall of the Middle City.

After this second wall was breached the defenders were left in possession of the Upper City and the Temple (the Lower City was south of the Temple). Titus then ordered an all-out assault on the third north wall, focusing on the three towers guarding Herod’s Palace and on the Antonia Fortress guarding the north end of the Temple. As this wall was well defended, Titus also ordered a siege wall to be thrown up around the undefeated part of the city.

Since the Zealots refused to surrender, Titus now focused on taking the Antonia Fortress, and used rams day and night until it fell. The Zealots held out in the fortified temple until the Romans gained entrance by burning the gates. But the siege was not over for the defenders held the Upper City. After burning the Lower City the Romans attacked and breached the walls of the Upper City only to find it empty of all but the dead. After burning the rest of Jerusalem, the Romans’ prisoners were executed, made slaves or taken to Rome. 

Titus returned to Rome, leaving the task of taking the remaining rebel strongholds to the new Roman governor, Lucilius Bassus (71-72). Herodium fell in 71, but nothing is known of the siege. At Machaerus one of the rebels fell into Romans hands and when Bassus threatened to crucify him the defenders agreed to surrender.

Masada, the last outpost of Jewish resistance against Rome, was sited on a hilltop plateau on a precipitous height near the west bank of the Dead Sea, the fortress seemed impregnable to assault, and could not be starved into submission because it had plentiful supplies of food and water. The only approach to the top was by a ‘snake path’, a narrow trail of switchbacks facing the Dead Sea. Bassus died in office and was replaced by ¹⁰Flavius Silva (cos.81).

Seeing that it was impossible to launch an assault along the snake path, Silva constructed a siege wall and then began building a ramp to the northwestern face. When it was completed the Romans inevitably breached the fortress wall. A fire broke out and the legionaries discovered that all the Zealots, except for seven survivors, had killed themselves.