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The Works of Flavius Josephus
war of the Jews
book V
FROM THE COMING OF TITUS TO BESIEGE JERUSALEM, TO THE GREAT EXTREMITY TO
WHICH THE JEWS WERE REDUCED
Translated by William Whiston
CHAPTER 1.
CONCERNING THE SEDITIONS AT JERUSALEM AND WHAT TERRIBLE MISERIES
AFFLICTED THE CITY BY THEIR MEANS.
1. WHEN therefore Titus had marched over that desert which lies between
Egypt and Syria, in the manner forementioned, he came to Cesarea, having
resolved to set his forces in order at that place, before he began the
war. Nay, indeed, while he was assisting his father at Alexandria, in settling
that government which had been newly conferred upon them by God, it so
happened that the sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and parted into three
factions, and that one faction fought against the other; which partition
in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and the effect of Divine
justice. Now as to the attack the zealots made upon the people, and which
I esteem the beginning of the city's destruction, it hath been already
explained after an accurate manner; as also whence it arose, and to how
great a mischief it was increased. But for the present sedition, one should
not mistake if he called it a sedition begotten by another sedition, and
to be like a wild beast grown mad, which, for want of food from abroad,
fell now upon eating its own flesh.
2. For Eleazar, the son of Simon, who made the first separation of the
zealots from the people, and made them retire into the temple, appeared
very angry at John's insolent attempts, which he made everyday upon the
people; for this man never left off murdering; but the truth was, that
he could not bear to submit to a tyrant who set up after him. So he being
desirous of gaining the entire power and dominion to himself, revolted
from John, and took to his assistance Judas the son of Chelcias, and Simon
the son of Ezron, who were among the men of greatest power. There was also
with him Hezekiah, the son of Chobar, a person of eminence. Each of these
were followed by a great many of the zealots; these seized upon the inner
court of the temple
(1)
and laid their arms upon the holy gates, and over the holy fronts of that
court. And because they had plenty of provisions, they were of good courage,
for there was a great abundance of what was consecrated to sacred uses,
and they scrupled not the making use of them; yet were they afraid, on
account of their small number; and when they had laid up their arms there,
they did not stir from the place they were in. Now as to John, what advantage
he had above Eleazar in the multitude of his followers, the like disadvantage
he had in the situation he was in, since he had his enemies over his head;
and as he could not make any assault upon them without some terror, so
was his anger too great to let them be at rest; nay, although he suffered
more mischief from Eleazar and his party than he could inflict upon them,
yet would he not leave off assaulting them, insomuch that there were continual
sallies made one against another, as well as darts thrown at one another,
and the temple was defiled every where with murders.
3. But now the tyrant Simon, the son of Gioras, whom the people had
invited in, out of the hopes they had of his assistance in the great distresses
they were in, having in his power the upper city, and a great part of the
lower, did now make more vehement assaults upon John and his party, because
they were fought against from above also; yet was he beneath their situation
when he attacked them, as they were beneath the attacks of the others above
them. Whereby it came to pass that John did both receive and inflict great
damage, and that easily, as he was fought against on both sides; and the
same advantage that Eleazar and his party had over him, since he was beneath
them, the same advantage had he, by his higher situation, over Simon. On
which account he easily repelled the attacks that were made from beneath,
by the weapons thrown from their hands only; but was obliged to repel those
that threw their darts from the temple above him, by his engines of war;
for he had such engines as threw darts, and javelins, and stones, and that
in no small number, by which he did not only defend himself from such as
fought against him, but slew moreover many of the priests, as they were
about their sacred ministrations. For notwithstanding these men were mad
with all sorts of impiety, yet did they still admit those that desired
to offer their sacrifices, although they took care to search the people
of their own country beforehand, and both suspected and watched them; while
they were not so much afraid of strangers, who, although they had gotten
leave of them, how cruel soever they were, to come into that court, were
yet often destroyed by this sedition; for those darts that were thrown
by the engines came with that force, that they went over all the buildings,
and reached as far as the altar, and the temple itself, and fell upon the
priests, and those
(2)
that were about the sacred offices; insomuch that many persons who came
thither with great zeal from the ends of the earth, to offer sacrifices
at this celebrated place, which was esteemed holy by all mankind, fell
down before their own sacrifices themselves, and sprinkled that altar which
was venerable among all men, both Greeks and Barbarians, with their own
blood; till the dead bodies of strangers were mingled together with those
of their own country, and those of profane persons with those of the priests,
and the blood of all sorts of dead carcasses stood in lakes in the holy
courts themselves. And now, "O must wretched city, what misery so
great as this didst thou suffer from the Romans, when they came to purify
thee from thy intestine hatred! 'For thou couldst be no longer a place
fit for God, nor couldst thou long continue in being, after thou hadst
been a sepulcher for the bodies of thy own people, and hadst made the holy
house itself a burying-place in this civil war of thine. Yet mayst thou
again grow better, if perchance thou wilt hereafter appease the anger of
that God who is the author of thy destruction." But I must restrain
myself from these passions by the rules of history, since this is not a
proper time for domestical lamentations, but for historical narrations;
I therefore return to the operations that follow in this sedition.
(3)
4. And now there were three treacherous factions in the city, the one
parted from the other. Eleazar and his party, that kept the sacred first-fruits,
came against John in their cups. Those that were with John plundered the
populace, and went out with zeal against Simon. This Simon had his supply
of provisions from the city, in opposition to the seditious. When, therefore,
John was assaulted on both sides, he made his men turn about, throwing
his darts upon those citizens that came up against him, from the cloisters
he had in his possession, while he opposed those that attacked him from
the temple by his engines of war. And if at any time he was freed from
those that were above him, which happened frequently, from their being
drunk and tired, he sallied out with a great number upon Simon and his
party; and this he did always in such parts of the city as he could come
at, till he set on fire those houses that were full of corn, and of all
other provisions.
(4)
The same thing was done by Simon, when, upon the other's retreat, he attacked
the city also; as if they had, on purpose, done it to serve the Romans,
by destroying what the city had laid up against the siege, and by thus
cutting off the nerves of their own power. Accordingly, it so came to pass,
that all the places that were about the temple were burnt down, and were
become an intermediate desert space, ready for fighting on both sides of
it; and that almost all that corn was burnt, which would have been sufficient
for a siege of many years. So they were taken by the means of the famine,
which it was impossible they should have been, unless they had thus prepared
the way for it by this procedure.
5. And now, as the city was engaged in a war on all sides, from these
treacherous crowds of wicked men, the people of the city, between them,
were like a great body torn in pieces. The aged men and the women were
in such distress by their internal calamities, that they wished for the
Romans, and earnestly hoped for an external war, in order to their delivery
from their domestical miseries. The citizens themselves were under a terrible
consternation and fear; nor had they any opportunity of taking counsel,
and of changing their conduct; nor were there any hopes of coming to an
agreement with their enemies; nor could such as had a mind flee away; for
guards were set at all places, and the heads of the robbers, although they
were seditious one against another in other respects, yet did they agree
in killing those that were for peace with the Romans, or were suspected
of an inclination to desert them, as their common enemies. They agreed
in nothing but this, to kill those that were innocent. The noise also of
those that were fighting was incessant, both by day and by night; but the
lamentations of those that mourned exceeded the other; nor was there ever
any occasion for them to leave off their lamentations, because their calamities
came perpetually one upon another, although the deep consternation they
were in prevented their outward wailing; but being constrained by their
fear to conceal their inward passions, they were inwardly tormented, without
daring to open their lips in groans. :Nor was any regard paid to those
that were still alive, by their relations; nor was there any care taken
of burial for those that were dead; the occasion of both which was this,
that every one despaired of himself; for those that were not among the
seditious had no great desires of any thing, as expecting for certain that
they should very soon be destroyed; but for the seditious themselves, they
fought against each other, while they trod upon the dead bodies as they
lay heaped one upon another, and taking up a mad rage from those dead bodies
that were under their feet, became the fiercer thereupon. They, moreover,
were still inventing somewhat or other that was pernicious against themselves;
and when they had resolved upon any thing, they executed it without mercy,
and omitted no method of torment or of barbarity. Nay, John abused the
sacred materials,
(5)
and employed them in the construction of his engines of war; for the people
and the priests had formerly determined to support the temple, and raise
the holy house twenty cubits higher; for king Agrippa had at a very great
expense, and with very great pains, brought thither such materials as were
proper for that purpose, being pieces of timber very well worth seeing,
both for their straightness and their largeness; but the war coming on,
and interrupting the work, John had them cut, and prepared for the building
him towers, he finding them long enough to oppose from them those his adversaries
that thought him from the temple that was above him. He also had them brought
and erected behind the inner court over against the west end of the cloisters,
where alone he could erect them ; whereas the other sides of that court
had so many steps as would not let them come nigh enough the cloisters.
6. Thus did John hope to be too hard for his enemies by these engines
constructed by his impiety; but God himself demonstrated that his pains
would prove of no use to him, by bringing the Romans upon him, before he
had reared any of his towers; for Titus, when he had gotten together part
of his forces about him, and had ordered the rest to meet him at Jerusalem,
marched out of Cesarea. He had with him those three legions that had accompanied
his father when he laid Judea waste, together with that twelfth legion
which had been formerly beaten with Cestius; which legion, as it was otherwise
remarkable for its valor, so did it march on now with greater alacrity
to avenge themselves on the Jews, as remembering what they had formerly
suffered from them. Of these legions he ordered the fifth to meet him,
by going through Emmaus, and the tenth to go up by Jericho; he also moved
himself, together with the rest; besides whom, marched those auxiliaries
that came from the kings, being now more in number than before, together
with a considerable number that came to his assistance from Syria. Those
also that had been selected out of these four legions, and sent with Mucianus
to Italy, had their places filled up out of these soldiers that came out
of Egypt with Titus; who were two thousand men, chosen out of the armies
at Alexandria. There followed him also three thousand drawn from those
that guarded the river Euphrates; as also there came Tiberius Alexander,
who was a friend of his, most valuable, both for his good-will to him,
and for his prudence. He had formerly been governor of Alexandria, but
was now thought worthy to be general of the army [under Titus]. The reason
of this was, that he had been the first who encouraged Vespasian very lately
to accept this his new dominion, and joined himself to him with great fidelity,
when things were uncertain, and fortune had not yet declared for him. He
also followed Titus as a counselor, very useful to him in this war, both
by his age and skill in such affairs.
CHAPTER 2.
HOW TITUS MARCHED TO JERUSALEM, AND HOW HE WAS IN DANGER
AS HE WAS TAKING A VIEW O THE CITY OF THE PLACE ALSO WHERE HE PITCHED HIS
CAMP
1. NOW, as Titus was upon his march into the enemy's country, the auxiliaries
that were sent by the kings marched first, having all the other auxiliaries
with them; after whom followed those that were to prepare the roads and
measure out the camp; then came the commander's baggage, and after that
the other soldiers, who were completely armed to support them; then came
Titus himself, having with him another select body; and then came the pikemen;
after whom came the horse belonging to that legion. All these came before
the engines; and after these engines came the tribunes and the leaders
of the cohorts, with their select bodies; after these came the ensigns,
with the eagle; and before those ensigns came the trumpeters belonging
to them; next these came the main body of the army in their ranks, every
rank being six deep; the servants belonging to every legion came after
these; and before these last their baggage; the mercenaries came last,
and those that guarded them brought up the rear. Now Titus, according to
the Roman usage, went in the front of the army after a decent manner, and
marched through Samaria to Gophna, a city that had been formerly taken
by his father, and was then garrisoned by Roman soldiers; and when he had
lodged there one night, he marched on in the morning; and when he had gone
as far as a day's march, he pitched his camp at that valley which the Jews,
in their own tongue, call "the Valley of Thorns," near a certain
village called Gabaothsath, which signifies "the Hill of Saul,"
being distant from Jerusalem about thirty furlongs.
(6)
There it was that he chose out six hundred select horsemen, and went to
take a view of the city, to observe what strength it was of, and how courageous
the Jews were; whether, when they saw him, and before they came to a direct
battle, they would be affrighted and submit; for he had been informed what
was really true, that the people who were fallen under the power of the
seditious and the robbers were greatly desirous of peace; but being too
weak to rise up against the rest, they lay still.
2. Now, so long as he rode along the straight road which led to the
wall of the city, nobody appeared out of the gates; but when he went out
of that road, and declined towards the tower Psephinus, and led the band
of horsemen obliquely, an immense number of the Jews leaped out suddenly
at the towers called the "Women's Towers," through that gate
which was over against the monuments of queen Helena, and intercepted his
horse; and standing directly opposite to those that still ran along the
road, hindered them from joining those that had declined out of it. They
intercepted Titus also, with a few other. Now it was here impossible for
him to go forward, because all the places had trenches dug in them from
the wall, to preserve the gardens round about, and were full of gardens
obliquely situated, and of many hedges; and to return back to his own men,
he saw it was also impossible, by reason of the multitude of the enemies
that lay between them; many of whom did not so much as know that the king
was in any danger, but supposed him still among them. So he perceived that
his preservation must be wholly owing to his own courage, and turned his
horse about, and cried out aloud to those that were about him to follow
him, and ran with violence into the midst of his enemies, in order to force
his way through them to his own men. And hence we may principally learn,
that both the success of wars, and the dangers that kings
(7)
are in, are under the providence of God; for while such a number of darts
were thrown at Titus, when he had neither his head-piece on, nor his breastplate,
(for, as I told you, he went out not to fight, but to view the city,) none
of them touched his body, but went aside without hurting him; as if all
of them missed him on purpose, and only made a noise as they passed by
him. So he diverted those perpetually with his sword that came on his side,
and overturned many of those that directly met him, and made his horse
ride over those that were overthrown. The enemy indeed made a shout at
the boldness of Caesar, and exhorted one another to rush upon him. Yet
did these against whom he marched fly away, and go off from him in great
numbers; while those that were in the same danger with him kept up close
to him, though they were wounded both on their backs and on their sides;
for they had each of them but this one hope of escaping, if they could
assist Titus in opening himself a way, that he might not be encompassed
round by his enemies before he got away from them. Now there were two of
those that were with him, but at some distance; the one of which the enemy
compassed round, and slew him with their darts, and his horse also; but
the other they slew as he leaped down from his horse, and carried off his
horse with them. But Titus escaped with the rest, and came safe to the
camp. So this success of the Jews' first attack raised their minds, and
gave them an ill-grounded hope; and this short inclination of fortune,
on their side, made them very courageous for the future.
3. But now, as soon as that legion that had been at Emmaus was joined
to Caesar at night, he removed thence, when it was day, and came to a place
called Seopus; from whence the city began already to be seen, and a plain
view might be taken of the great temple. Accordingly, this place, on the
north quarter of the city, and joining thereto, was a plain, and very properly
named Scopus, [the prospect,] and was no more than seven furlongs distant
from it. And here it was that Titus ordered a camp to be fortified for
two legions that were to be together; but ordered another camp to be fortified,
at three furlongs farther distance behind them, for the fifth legion; for
he thought that, by marching in the night, they might be tired, and might
deserve to be covered from the enemy, and with less fear might fortify
themselves; and as these were now beginning to build, the tenth legion,
who came through Jericho, was already come to the place, where a certain
party of armed men had formerly lain, to guard that pass into the city,
and had been taken before by Vespasian. These legions had orders to encamp
at the distance of six furlongs from Jerusalem, at the mount called the
Mount of Olives
(8)
which lies over against the city on the east side, and is parted from it
by a deep valley, interposed between them, which is named Cedron.
4. Now when hitherto the several parties in the city had been dashing
one against another perpetually, this foreign war, now suddenly come upon
them after a violent manner, put the first stop to their contentions one
against another; and as the seditious now saw with astonishment the Romans
pitching three several camps, they began to think of an awkward sort of
concord, and said one to another, "What do we here, and what do we
mean, when we suffer three fortified walls to be built to coop us in, that
we shall not be able to breathe freely? while the enemy is securely building
a kind of city in opposition to us, and while we sit still within our own
walls, and become spectators only of what they are doing, with our hands
idle, and our armor laid by, as if they were about somewhat that was for
our good and advantage. We are, it seems, (so did they cry out,) only courageous
against ourselves, while the Romans are likely to gain the city without
bloodshed by our sedition." Thus did they encourage one another when
they were gotten together, and took their armor immediately, and ran out
upon the tenth legion, and fell upon the Romans with great eagerness, and
with a prodigious shout, as they were fortifying their camp. These Romans
were caught in different parties, and this in order to perform their several
works, and on that account had in great measure laid aside their arms;
for they thought the Jews would not have ventured to make a sally upon
them; and had they been disposed so to do, they supposed their sedition
would have distracted them. So they were put into disorder unexpectedly;
when some of hem left their works they were about, and immediately marched
off, while many ran to their arms, but were smitten and slain before they
could turn back upon the enemy. The Jews became still more and more in
number, as encouraged by the good success of those that first made the
attack; and while they had such good fortune, they seemed both to themselves
and to the enemy to be many more than they really were. The disorderly
way of their fighting at first put the Romans also to a stand, who had
been constantly used to fight skillfully in good order, and with keeping
their ranks, and obeying the orders that were given them; for which reason
the Romans were caught unexpectedly, and were obliged to give way to the
assaults that were made upon them. Now when these Romans were overtaken,
and turned back upon the Jews, they put a stop to their career; yet when
they did not take care enough of themselves through the vehemency of their
pursuit, they were wounded by them; but as still more and more Jews sallied
out of the city, the Romans were at length brought into confusion, and
put to fight, and ran away from their camp. Nay, things looked as though
the entire legion would have been in danger, unless Titus had been informed
of the case they were in, and had sent them succors immediately. So he
reproached them for their cowardice, and brought those back that were running
away, and fell himself upon the Jews on their flank, with those select
troops that were with him, and slew a considerable number, and wounded
more of them, and put them all to flight, and made them run away hastily
down the valley. Now as these Jews suffered greatly in the declivity of
the valley, so when they were gotten over it, they turned about, and stood
over against the Romans, having the valley between them, and there fought
with them. Thus did they continue the fight till noon; but when it was
already a little after noon, Titus set those that came to the assistance
of the Romans with him, and those that belonged to the cohorts, to prevent
the Jews from making any more sallies, and then sent the rest of the legion
to the upper part of the mountain, to fortify their camp.
5. This march of the Romans seemed to the Jews to be a flight; and as
the watchman who was placed upon the wall gave a signal by shaking his
garment, there came out a fresh multitude of Jews, and that with such mighty
violence, that one might compare it to the running of the most terrible
wild beasts. To say the truth, none of those that opposed them could sustain
the fury with which they made their attacks; but, as if they had been cast
out of an engine, they brake the enemies' ranks to pieces, who were put
to flight, and ran away to the mountain; none but Titus himself, and a
few others with him, being left in the midst of the acclivity. Now these
others, who were his friends, despised the danger they were in, and were
ashamed to leave their general, earnestly exhorting him to give way to
these Jews that are fond of dying, and not to run into such dangers before
those that ought to stay before him; to consider what his fortune was,
and not, by supplying the place of a common soldier, to venture to turn
back upon the enemy so suddenly; and this because he was general in the
war, and lord of the habitable earth, on whose preservation the public
affairs do all depend. These persuasions Titus seemed not so much as to
hear, but opposed those that ran upon him, and smote them on the face;
and when he had forced them to go back, he slew them: he also fell upon
great numbers as they marched down the hill, and thrust them forward; while
those men were so amazed at his courage and his strength, that they could
not fly directly to the city, but declined from him on both sides, and
pressed after those that fled up the hill; yet did he still fall upon their
flank, and put a stop to their fury. In the mean time, a disorder and a
terror fell again upon those that were fortifying their camp at the top
of the hill, upon their seeing those beneath them running away; insomuch
that the whole legion was dispersed, while they thought that the sallies
of the Jews upon them were plainly insupportable, and that Titus was himself
put to flight; because they took it for granted, that, if he had staid,
the rest would never have fled for it. Thus were they encompassed on every
side by a kind of panic fear, and some dispersed themselves one way, and
some another, till certain of them saw their general in the very midst
of an action, and being under great concern for him, they loudly proclaimed
the danger he was in to the entire legion; and now shame made them turn
back, and they reproached one another that they did worse than run away,
by deserting Caesar. So they used their utmost force against the Jews,
and declining from the straight declivity, they drove them on heaps into
the bottom of the valley. Then did the Jews turn about and fight them;
but as they were themselves retiring, and now, because the Romans had the
advantage of the ground, and were above the Jews, they drove them all into
the valley. Titus also pressed upon those that were near him, and sent
the legion again to fortify their camp; while he, and those that were with
him before, opposed the enemy, and kept them from doing further mischief;
insomuch that, if I may be allowed neither to add any thing out of flattery,
nor to diminish any thing out of envy, but to speak the plain truth, Caesar
did twice deliver that entire legion when it was in jeopardy, and gave
them a quiet opportunity of fortifying their camp.
CHAPTER 3.
HOW THE SEDITION WAS AGAIN REVIVED WITHIN JERUSALEM AND YET
THE JEWS CONTRIVED SNARES FOR THE ROMANS. HOW TITUS ALSO THREATENED HIS
SOLDIERS FOR THEIR UNGOVERNABLE RASHNESS.
1. AS now the war abroad ceased for a while, the sedition within was
revived; and on the feast of unleavened bread, which was now come, it being
the fourteenth day of the month Xanthicus, [Nisan,] when it is believed
the Jews were first freed from the Egyptians, Eleazar and his party opened
the gates of this [inmost court of the] temple, and admitted such of the
people as were desirous to worship God into it.
(9)
But John made use of this festival as a cloak for his treacherous designs,
and armed the most inconsiderable of his own party, the greater part of
whom were not purified, with weapons concealed under their garments, and
sent them with great zeal into the temple, in order to seize upon it; which
armed men, when they were gotten in, threw their garments away, and presently
appeared in their armor. Upon which there was a very great disorder and
disturbance about the holy house; while the people, who had no concern
in the sedition, supposed that this assault was made against all without
distinction, as the zealots thought it was made against themselves only.
So these left off guarding the gates any longer, and leaped down from their
battlements before they came to an engagement, and fled away into the subterranean
caverns of the temple; while the people that stood trembling at the altar,
and about the holy house, were rolled on heaps together, and trampled upon,
and were beaten both with wooden and with iron weapons without mercy. Such
also as had differences with others slew many persons that were quiet,
out of their own private enmity and hatred, as if they were opposite to
the seditious; and all those that had formerly offended any of these plotters
were now known, and were now led away to the slaughter; and when they had
done abundance of horrid mischief to the guiltless, they granted a truce
to the guilty, and let those go off that came cut of the caverns. These
followers of John also did now seize upon this inner temple, and upon all
the warlike engines therein, and then ventured to oppose Simon. And thus
that sedition, which had been divided into three factions, was now reduced
to two.
2. But Titus, intending to pitch his camp nearer to the city than Scopus,
placed as many of his choice horsemen and footmen as he thought sufficient
opposite to the Jews, to prevent their sallying out upon them, while he
gave orders for the whole army to level the distance, as far as the wall
of the city. So they threw down all the hedges and walls which the inhabitants
had made about their gardens and groves of trees, and cut down all the
fruit trees that lay between them and the wall of the city, and filled
up all the hollow places and the chasms, and demolished the rocky precipices
with iron instruments; and thereby made all the place level from Scopus
to Herod's monuments, which adjoined to the pool called the Serpent's Pool.
3. Now at this very time the Jews contrived the following stratagem
against the Romans. The bolder sort of the seditious went out at the towers,
called the Women's Towers, as if they had been ejected out of the city
by those who were for peace, and rambled about as if they were afraid of
being assaulted by the Romans, and were in fear of one another; while those
that stood upon the wall, and seemed to be of the people's side, cried
out aloud for peace, and entreated they might have security for their lives
given them, and called for the Romans, promising to open the gates to them;
and as they cried out after that manner, they threw stones at their own
people, as though they would drive them away from the gates. These also
pretended that they were excluded by force, and that they petitioned those
that were within to let them in; and rushing upon the Romans perpetually,
with violence, they then came back, and seemed to be in great disorder.
Now the Roman soldiers thought this cunning stratagem of theirs was to
be believed real, and thinking they had the one party under their power,
and could punish them as they pleased, and hoping that the other party
would open their gates to them, set to the execution of their designs accordingly.
But for Titus himself, he had this surprising conduct of the Jews in suspicion;
for whereas he had invited them to come to terms of accommodation, by Josephus,
but one day before, he could then receive no civil answer from them; so
he ordered the soldiers to stay where they were. However, some of them
that were set in the front of the works prevented him, and catching up
their arms ran to the gates; whereupon those that seemed to have been ejected
at the first retired; but as soon as the soldiers were gotten between the
towers on each side of the gate, the Jews ran out and encompassed them
round, and fell upon them behind, while that multitude which stood upon
the wall threw a heap of stones and darts of all kinds at them, insomuch
that they slew a considerable number, and wounded many more; for it was
not easy for the Romans to escape, by reason those behind them pressed
them forward; besides which, the shame they were under for being mistaken,
and the fear they were in of their commanders, engaged them to persevere
in their mistake; wherefore they fought with their spears a great while,
and received many blows from the Jews, though indeed they gave them as
many blows again, and at last repelled those that had encompassed them
about, while the Jews pursued them as they retired, and followed them,
and threw darts at them as far as the monuments of queen Helena.
4. After this these Jews, without keeping any decorum, grew insolent
upon their good fortune, and jested upon the Romans for being deluded by
the trick they bad put upon them, and making a noise with beating their
shields, leaped for gladness, and made joyful exclamations; while these
soldiers were received with threatenings by their officers, and with indignation
by Caesar himself, [who spake to them thus]: These Jews, who are only conducted
by their madness, do every thing with care and circumspection; they contrive
stratagems, and lay ambushes, and fortune gives success to their stratagems,
because they are obedient, and preserve their goodwill and fidelity to
one another; while the Romans, to whom fortune uses to be ever subservient,
by reason of their good order, and ready submission to their commanders,
have now had ill success by their contrary behavior, and by not being able
to restrain their hands from action, they have been caught; and that which
is the most to their reproach, they have gone on without their commanders,
in the very presence of Caesar. "Truly," says Titus, "the
laws of war cannot but groan heavily, as will my father also himself, when
he shall be informed of this wound that hath been given us, since he who
is grown old in wars did never make so great a mistake. Our laws of war
do also ever inflict capital punishment on those that in the least break
into good order, while at this time they have seen an entire army run into
disorder. However, those that have been so insolent shall be made immediately
sensible, that even they who conquer among the Romans without orders for
fighting are to be under disgrace." When Titus had enlarged upon this
matter before the commanders, it appeared evident that he would execute
the law against all those that were concerned; so these soldiers' minds
sunk down in despair, as expecting to be put to death, and that justly
and quickly. However, the other legions came round about Titus, and entreated
his favor to these their fellow soldiers, and made supplication to him,
that he would pardon the rashness of a few, on account of the better obedience
of all the rest; and promised for them that they should make amends for
their present fault, by their more virtuous behavior for the time to come.
5. So Caesar complied with their desires, and with what prudence dictated
to him also; for he esteemed it fit to punish single persons by real executions,
but that the punishment of great multitudes should proceed no further than
reproofs; so he was reconciled to the soldiers, but gave them a special
charge to act more wisely for the future; and he considered with himself
how he might be even with the Jews for their stratagem. And now when the
space between the Romans and the wall had been leveled, which was done
in four days, and as he was desirous to bring the baggage of the army,
with the rest of the multitude that followed him, safely to the camp, he
set the strongest part of his army over against that wall which lay on
the north quarter of the city, and over against the western part of it,
and made his army seven deep, with the foot-men placed before them, and
the horsemen behind them, each of the last in three ranks, whilst the archers
stood in the midst in seven ranks. And now as the Jews were prohibited,
by so great a body of men, from making sallies upon the Romans, both the
beasts that bare the burdens, and belonged to the three legions, and the
rest of the multitude, marched on without any fear. But as for Titus himself,
he was but about two furlongs distant from the wall, at that part of it
where was the corner
(10)
and over against that tower which was called Psephinus, at which tower
the compass of the wall belonging to the north bended, and extended itself
over against the west; but the other part of the army fortified itself
at the tower called Hippicus, and was distant, in like manner, by two furlongs
from the city. However, the tenth legion continued in its own place, upon
the Mount of Olives.
CHAPTER 4.
THE DESCRIPTION OF JERUSALEM.
1. THE city of Jerusalem was fortified with three walls, on such parts
as were not encompassed with unpassable valleys; for in such places it
had but one wall. The city was built upon two hills, which are opposite
to one another, and have a valley to divide them asunder; at which valley
the corresponding rows of houses on both hills end. Of these hills, that
which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length more direct.
Accordingly, it was called the "Citadel," by king David; he was
the father of that Solomon who built this temple at the first; but it is
by us called the "Upper Market-place." But the other hill, which
was called "Acra," and sustains the lower city, is of the shape
of a moon when she is horned; over against this there was a third hill,
but naturally lower than Acra, and parted formerly from the other by a
broad valley. However, in those times when the Asamoneans reigned, they
filled up that valley with earth, and had a mind to join the city to the
temple. They then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it to
be of less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be superior
to it. Now the Valley of the Cheesemongers, as it was called, and was that
which we told you before distinguished the hill of the upper city from
that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam; for that is the name of a
fountain which hath sweet water in it, and this in great plenty also. But
on the outsides, these hills are surrounded by deep valleys, and by reason
of the precipices to them belonging on both sides they are every where
unpassable.
2. Now, of these three walls, the old one was hard to be taken, both
by reason of the valleys, and of that hill on which it was built, and which
was above them. But besides that great advantage, as to the place where
they were situated, it was also built very strong; because David and Solomon,
and the following kings, were very zealous about this work. Now that wall
began on the north, at the tower called "Hippicus," and extended
as far as the "Xistus," a place so called, and then, joining
to the council-house, ended at the west cloister of the temple. But if
we go the other way westward, it began at the same place, and extended
through a place called "Bethso," to the gate of the Essens; and
after that it went southward, having its bending above the fountain Siloam,
where it also bends again towards the east at Solomon's pool, and reaches
as far as a certain place which they called "Ophlas," where it
was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple. The second wall took
its beginning from that gate which they called "Gennath," which
belonged to the first wall; it only encompassed the northern quarter of
the city, and reached as far as the tower Antonia. The beginning of the
third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north
quarter of the city, and the tower Psephinus, and then was so far extended
till it came over against the monuments of Helena, which Helena was queen
of Adiabene, the daughter of Izates; it then extended further to a great
length, and passed by the sepulchral caverns of the kings, and bent again
at the tower of the corner, at the monument which is called the "Monument
of the Fuller," and joined to the old wall at the valley called the
"Valley of Cedron." It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts
added to the old city with this wall, which had been all naked before;
for as the city grew more populous, it gradually crept beyond its old limits,
and those parts of it that stood northward of the temple, and joined that
hill to the city, made it considerably larger, and occasioned that hill,
which is in number the fourth, and is called "Bezetha," to be
inhabited also. It lies over against the tower Antonia, but is divided
from it by a deep valley, which was dug on purpose, and that in order to
hinder the foundations of the tower of Antonia from joining to this hill,
and thereby affording an opportunity for getting to it with ease, and hindering
the security that arose from its superior elevation; for which reason also
that depth of the ditch made the elevation of the towers more remarkable.
This new-built part of the city was called "Bezetha," in our
language, which, if interpreted in the Grecian language, may be called
"the New City." Since, therefore, its inhabitants stood in need
of a covering, the father of the present king, and of the same name with
him, Agrippa, began that wall we spoke of; but he left off building it
when he had only laid the foundations, out of the fear he was in of Claudius
Caesar, lest he should suspect that so strong a wall was built in order
to make some innovation in public affairs; for the city could no way have
been taken if that wall had been finished in the manner it was begun; as
its parts were connected together by stones twenty cubits long, and ten
cubits broad, which could never have been either easily undermined by any
iron tools, or shaken by any engines. The wall was, however, ten cubits
wide, and it would probably have had a height greater than that, had not
his zeal who began it been hindered from exerting itself. After this, it
was erected with great diligence by the Jews, as high as twenty cubits,
above which it had battlements of two cubits, and turrets of three cubits
altitude, insomuch that the entire altitude extended as far as twenty-five
cubits.
3. Now the towers that were upon it were twenty cubits in breadth, and
twenty cubits in height; they were square and solid, as was the wall itself,
wherein the niceness of the joints, and the beauty of the stones, were
no way inferior to those of the holy house itself. Above this solid altitude
of the towers, which was twenty cubits, there were rooms of great magnificence,
and over them upper rooms, and cisterns to receive rain-water. They were
many in number, and the steps by which you ascended up to them were every
one broad: of these towers then the third wall had ninety, and the spaces
between them were each two hundred cubits; but in the middle wall were
forty towers, and the old wall was parted into sixty, while the whole compass
of the city was thirty-three furlongs. Now the third wall was all of it
wonderful; yet was the tower Psephinus elevated above it at the north-west
corner, and there Titus pitched his own tent; for being seventy cubits
high it both afforded a prospect of Arabia at sun-rising, as well as it
did of the utmost limits of the Hebrew possessions at the sea westward.
Moreover, it was an octagon, and over against it was the tower Hipplicus,
and hard by two others were erected by king Herod, in the old wall. These
were for largeness, beauty, and strength beyond all that were in the habitable
earth; for besides the magnanimity of his nature, and his magnificence
towards the city on other occasions, he built these after such an extraordinary
manner, to gratify his own private affections, and dedicated these towers
to the memory of those three persons who had been the dearest to him, and
from whom he named them. They were his brother, his friend, and his wife.
This wife he had slain, out of his love [and jealousy], as we have already
related; the other two he lost in war, as they were courageously fighting.
Hippicus, so named from his friend, was square; its length and breadth
were each twenty-five cubits, and its height thirty, and it had no vacuity
in it. Over this solid building, which was composed of great stones united
together, there was a reservoir twenty cubits deep, over which there was
a house of two stories, whose height was twenty-five cubits, and divided
into several parts; over which were battlements of two cubits, and turrets
all round of three cubits high, insomuch that the entire height added together
amounted to fourscore cubits. The second tower, which he named from his
brother Phasaelus, had its breadth and its height equal, each of them forty
cubits; over which was its solid height of forty cubits; over which a cloister
went round about, whose height was ten cubits, and it was covered from
enemies by breast-works and bulwarks. There was also built over that cloister
another tower, parted into magnificent rooms, and a place for bathing;
so that this tower wanted nothing that might make it appear to be a royal
palace. It was also adorned with battlements and turrets, more than was
the foregoing, and the entire altitude was about ninety cubits; the appearance
of it resembled the tower of Pharus, which exhibited a fire to such as
sailed to Alexandria, but was much larger than it in compass. This was
now converted to a house, wherein Simon exercised his tyrannical authority.
The third tower was Mariamne, for that was his queen's name; it was solid
as high as twenty cubits; its breadth and its length were twenty cubits,
and were equal to each other; its upper buildings were more magnificent,
and had greater variety, than the other towers had; for the king thought
it most proper for him to adorn that which was denominated from his wife,
better than those denominated from men, as those were built stronger than
this that bore his wife's name. The entire height of this tower was fifty
cubits.
4. Now as these towers were so very tall, they appeared much taller
by the place on which they stood; for that very old wall wherein they were
was built on a high hill, and was itself a kind of elevation that was still
thirty cubits taller; over which were the towers situated, and thereby
were made much higher to appearance. The largeness also of the stones was
wonderful; for they were not made of common small stones, nor of such large
ones only as men could carry, but they were of white marble, cut out of
the rock; each stone was twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth, and
five in depth. They were so exactly united to one another, that each tower
looked like one entire rock of stone, so growing naturally, and afterward
cut by the hand of the artificers into their present shape and corners;
so little, or not at all, did their joints or connexion appear. low as
these towers were themselves on the north side of the wall, the king had
a palace inwardly thereto adjoined, which exceeds all my ability to describe
it; for it was so very curious as to want no cost nor skill in its construction,
but was entirely walled about to the height of thirty cubits, and was adorned
with towers at equal distances, and with large bed-chambers, that would
contain beds for a hundred guests a-piece, in which the variety of the
stones is not to be expressed; for a large quantity of those that were
rare of that kind was collected together. Their roofs were also wonderful,
both for the length of the beams, and the splendor of their ornaments.
The number of the rooms was also very great, and the variety of the figures
that were about them was prodigious; their furniture was complete, and
the greatest part of the vessels that were put in them was of silver and
gold. There were besides many porticoes, one beyond another, round about,
and in each of those porticoes curious pillars; yet were all the courts
that were exposed to the air every where green. There were, moreover, several
groves of trees, and long walks through them, with deep canals, and cisterns,
that in several parts were filled with brazen statues, through which the
water ran out. There were withal many dove-courts
(11)
of tame pigeons about the canals. But indeed it is not possible to give
a complete description of these palaces; and the very remembrance of them
is a torment to one, as putting one in mind what vastly rich buildings
that fire which was kindled by the robbers hath consumed; for these were
not burnt by the Romans, but by these internal plotters, as we have already
related, in the beginning of their rebellion. That fire began at the tower
of Antonia, and went on to the palaces, and consumed the upper parts of
the three towers themselves.
CHAPTER 5.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE.
1. NOW this temple, as I have already said, was built upon a strong
hill. At first the plain at the top was hardly sufficient for the holy
house and the altar, for the ground about it was very uneven, and like
a precipice; but when king Solomon, who was the person that built the temple,
had built a wall to it on its east side, there was then added one cloister
founded on a bank cast up for it, and on the other parts the holy house
stood naked. But in future ages the people added new banks,
(12)
and the hill became a larger plain. They then broke down the wall on the
north side, and took in as much as sufficed afterward for the compass of
the entire temple. And when they had built walls on three sides of the
temple round about, from the bottom of the hill, and had performed a work
that was greater than could be hoped for, (in which work long ages were
spent by them, as well as all their sacred treasures were exhausted, which
were still replenished by those tributes which were sent to God from the
whole habitable earth,) they then encompassed their upper courts with cloisters,
as well as they [afterward] did the lowest [court of the] temple. The lowest
part of this was erected to the height of three hundred cubits, and in
some places more; yet did not the entire depth of the foundations appear,
for they brought earth, and filled up the valleys, as being desirous to
make them on a level with the narrow streets of the city; wherein they
made use of stones of forty cubits in magnitude; for the great plenty of
money they then had, and the liberality of the people, made this attempt
of theirs to succeed to an incredible degree; and what could not be so
much as hoped for as ever to be accomplished, was, by perseverance and
length of time, brought to perfection.
2. Now for the works that were above these foundations, these were not
unworthy of such foundations; for all the cloisters were double, and the
pillars to them belonging were twenty-five cubits in height, and supported
the cloisters. These pillars were of one entire stone each of them, and
that stone was white marble; and the roofs were adorned with cedar, curiously
graven. The natural magnificence, and excellent polish, and the harmony
of the joints in these cloisters, afforded a prospect that was very remarkable;
nor was it on the outside adorned with any work of the painter or engraver.
The cloisters [of the outmost court] were in breadth thirty cubits, while
the entire compass of it was by measure six furlongs, including the tower
of Antonia; those entire courts that were exposed to the air were laid
with stones of all sorts. When you go through these [first] cloisters,
unto the second [court of the] temple, there was a partition made of stone
all round, whose height was three cubits: its construction was very elegant;
upon it stood pillars, at equal distances from one another, declaring the
law of purity, some in Greek, and some in Roman letters, that "no
foreigner should go within that sanctuary" for that second [court
of the] temple was called "the Sanctuary," and was ascended to
by fourteen steps from the first court. This court was four-square, and
had a wall about it peculiar to itself; the height of its buildings, although
it were on the outside forty cubits,
(13)
was hidden by the steps, and on the inside that height was but twenty-five
cubits; for it being built over against a higher part of the hill with
steps, it was no further to be entirely discerned within, being covered
by the hill itself. Beyond these thirteen steps there was the distance
of ten cubits; this was all plain; whence there were other steps, each
of five cubits a-piece, that led to the gates, which gates on the north
and south sides were eight, on each of those sides four, and of necessity
two on the east. For since there was a partition built for the women on
that side, as the proper place wherein they were to worship, there was
a necessity for a second gate for them: this gate was cut out of its wall,
over against the first gate. There was also on the other sides one southern
and one northern gate, through which was a passage into the court of the
women; for as to the other gates, the women were not allowed to pass through
them; nor when they went through their own gate could they go beyond their
own wall. This place was allotted to the women of our own country, and
of other countries, provided they were of the same nation, and that equally.
The western part of this court had no gate at all, but the wall was built
entire on that side. But then the cloisters which were betwixt the gates
extended from the wall inward, before the chambers; for they were supported
by very fine and large pillars. These cloisters were single, and, excepting
their magnitude, were no way inferior to those of the lower court.
3. Now nine of these gates were on every side covered over with gold
and silver, as were the jambs of their doors and their lintels; but there
was one gate that was without the [inward court of the] holy house, which
was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those that were only covered
over with silver and gold. Each gate had two doors, whose height was severally
thirty cubits, and their breadth fifteen. However, they had large spaces
within of thirty cubits, and had on each side rooms, and those, both in
breadth and in length, built like towers, and their height was above forty
cubits. Two pillars did also support these rooms, and were in circumference
twelve cubits. Now the magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to
another; but that over the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east over
against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger; for its height
was fifty cubits; and its doors were forty cubits; and it was adorned after
a most costly manner, as having much richer and thicker plates of silver
and gold upon them than the other. These nine gates had that silver and
gold poured upon them by Alexander, the father of Tiberius. Now there were
fifteen steps, which led away from the wall of the court of the women to
this greater gate; whereas those that led thither from the other gates
were five steps shorter.
4. As to the holy house itself, which was placed in the midst [of the
inmost court], that most sacred part of the temple, it was ascended to
by twelve steps; and in front its height and its breadth were equal, and
each a hundred cubits, though it was behind forty cubits narrower; for
on its front it had what may be styled shoulders on each side, that passed
twenty cubits further. Its first gate was seventy cubits high, and twenty-five
cubits broad; but this gate had no doors; for it represented the universal
visibility of heaven, and that it cannot be excluded from any place. Its
front was covered with gold all over, and through it the first part of
the house, that was more inward, did all of it appear; which, as it was
very large, so did all the parts about the more inward gate appear to shine
to those that saw them; but then, as the entire house was divided into
two parts within, it was only the first part of it that was open to our
view. Its height extended all along to ninety cubits in height, and its
length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty. But that gate which was
at this end of the first part of the house was, as we have already observed,
all over covered with gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also
golden vines above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a
man's height. But then this house, as it was divided into two parts, the
inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and had golden doors
of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; but before these
doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian
curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple,
and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors
without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe;
for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by
the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea;
two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; but
the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation,
the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also
embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that
of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures.
5. When any persons entered into the temple, its floor received them.
This part of the temple therefore was in height sixty cubits, and its length
the same; whereas its breadth was but twenty cubits: but still that sixty
cubits in length was divided again, and the first part of it was cut off
at forty cubits, and had in it three things that were very wonderful and
famous among all mankind, the candlestick, the table [of shew-bread], and
the altar of incense. Now the seven lamps signified the seven planets;
for so many there were springing out of the candlestick. Now the twelve
loaves that were upon the table signified the circle of the zodiac and
the year; but the altar of incense, by its thirteen kinds of sweet-smelling
spices with which the sea replenished it, signified that God is the possessor
of all things that are both in the uninhabitable and habitable parts of
the earth, and that they are all to be dedicated to his use. But the inmost
part of the temple of all was of twenty cubits. This was also separated
from the outer part by a veil. In this there was nothing at all. It was
inaccessible and inviolable, and not to be seen by any; and was called
the Holy of Holies. Now, about the sides of the lower part of the temple,
there were little houses, with passages out of one into another; there
were a great many of them, and they were of three stories high; there were
also entrances on each side into them from the gate of the temple. But
the superior part of the temple had no such little houses any further,
because the temple was there narrower, and forty cubits higher, and of
a smaller body than the lower parts of it. Thus we collect that the whole
height, including the sixty cubits from the floor, amounted to a hundred
cubits.
6. Now the outward face of the temple in its front wanted nothing that
was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes; for it was covered
all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising
of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced
themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would
have done at the sun's own rays. But this temple appeared to strangers,
when they were coming to it at a distance, like a mountain covered with
snow; for as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding
white. On its top it had spikes with sharp points, to prevent any pollution
of it by birds sitting upon it. Of its stones, some of them were forty-five
cubits in length, five in height, and six in breadth. Before this temple
stood the altar, fifteen cubits high, and equal both in length and breadth;
each of which dimensions was fifty cubits. The figure it was built in was
a square, and it had corners like horns; and the passage up to it was by
an insensible acclivity. It was formed without any iron tool, nor did any
such iron tool so much as touch it at any time. There was also a wall of
partition, about a cubit in height, made of fine stones, and so as to be
grateful to the sight; this encompassed the holy house and the altar, and
kept the people that were on the outside off from the priests. Moreover,
those that had the gonorrhea and the leprosy were excluded out of the city
entirely; women also, when their courses were upon them, were shut out
of the temple; nor when they were free from that impurity, were they allowed
to go beyond the limit before-mentioned; men also, that were not thoroughly
pure, were prohibited to come into the inner [court of the] temple; nay,
the priests themselves that were not pure were prohibited to come into
it also.
7. Now all those of the stock of the priests that could not minister
by reason of some defect in their bodies, came within the partition, together
with those that had no such imperfection, and had their share with them
by reason of their stock, but still made use of none except their own private
garments; for nobody but he that officiated had on his sacred garments;
but then those priests that were without any blemish upon them went up
to the altar clothed in fine linen. They abstained chiefly from wine, out
of this fear, lest otherwise they should transgress some rules of their
ministration. The high priest did also go up with them; not always indeed,
but on the seventh days and new moons, and if any festivals belonging to
our nation, which we celebrate every year, happened. When he officiated,
he had on a pair of breeches that reached beneath his privy parts to his
thighs, and had on an inner garment of linen, together with a blue garment,
round, without seam, with fringe work, and reaching to the feet. There
were also golden bells that hung upon the fringes, and pomegranates intermixed
among them. The bells signified thunder, and the pomegranates lightning.
But that girdle that tied the garment to the breast was embroidered with
five rows of various colors, of gold, and purple, and scarlet, as also
of fine linen and blue, with which colors we told you before the veils
of the temple were embroidered also. The like embroidery was upon the ephod;
but the quantity of gold therein was greater. Its figure was that of a
stomacher for the breast. There were upon it two golden buttons like small
shields, which buttoned the ephod to the garment; in these buttons were
enclosed two very large and very excellent sardonyxes, having the names
of the tribes of that nation engraved upon them: on the other part there
hung twelve stones, three in a row one way, and four in the other; a sardius,
a topaz, and an emerald; a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire; an agate,
an amethyst, and a ligure; an onyx, a beryl, and a chrysolite; upon every
one of which was again engraved one of the forementioned names of the tribes.
A mitre also of fine linen encompassed his head, which was tied by a blue
ribbon, about which there was another golden crown, in which was engraven
the sacred name [of God]: it consists of four vowels. However, the high
priest did not wear these garments at other times, but a more plain habit;
he only did it when he went into the most sacred part of the temple, which
he did but once in a year, on that day when our custom is for all of us
to keep a fast to God. And thus much concerning the city and the temple;
but for the customs and laws hereto relating, we shall speak more accurately
another time; for there remain a great many things thereto relating which
have not been here touched upon.
8. Now as to the tower of Antonia, it was situated at the corner of
two cloisters of the court of the temple; of that on the west, and that
on the north; it was erected upon a rock of fifty cubits in height, and
was on a great precipice; it was the work of king Herod, wherein he demonstrated
his natural magnanimity. In the first place, the rock itself was covered
over with smooth pieces of stone, from its foundation, both for ornament,
and that any one who would either try to get up or to go down it might
not be able to hold his feet upon it. Next to this, and before you come
to the edifice of the tower itself, there was a wall three cubits high;
but within that wall all the space of the tower of Antonia itself was built
upon, to the height of forty cubits. The inward parts had the largeness
and form of a palace, it being parted into all kinds of rooms and other
conveniences, such as courts, and places for bathing, and broad spaces
for camps; insomuch that, by having all conveniences that cities wanted,
it might seem to be composed of several cities, but by its magnificence
it seemed a palace. And as the entire structure resembled that of a tower,
it contained also four other distinct towers at its four corners; whereof
the others were but fifty cubits high; whereas that which lay upon the
southeast corner was seventy cubits high, that from thence the whole temple
might be viewed; but on the corner where it joined to the two cloisters
of the temple, it had passages down to them both, through which the guard
(for there always lay in this tower a Roman legion) went several ways among
the cloisters, with their arms, on the Jewish festivals, in order to watch
the people, that they might not there attempt to make any innovations;
for the temple was a fortress that guarded the city, as was the tower of
Antonia a guard to the temple; and in that tower were the guards of those
three
(14). There
was also a peculiar fortress belonging to the upper city, which was Herod's
palace; but for the hill Bezetha, it was divided from the tower Antonia,
as we have already told you; and as that hill on which the tower of Antonia
stood was the highest of these three, so did it adjoin to the new city,
and was the only place that hindered the sight of the temple on the north.
And this shall suffice at present to have spoken about the city and the
walls about it, because I have proposed to myself to make a more accurate
description of it elsewhere.
CHAPTER 6.
CONCERNING THE TYRANTS SIMON AND JOHN. HOW ALSO AS TITUS
WAS GOING ROUND THE WALL OF THIS CITY NICANOR WAS WOUNDED BY A DART; WHICH
ACCIDENT PROVOKED TITUS TO PRESS ON THE SIEGE.
1. NOW the warlike men that were in the city, and the multitude of the
seditious that were with Simon, were ten thousand, besides the Idumeans.
Those ten thousand had fifty commanders, over whom this Simon was supreme.
The Idumeans that paid him homage were five thousand, and had eight commanders,
among whom those of greatest fame were Jacob the son of Sosas, and Simon
the son of Cathlas. Jotre, who had seized upon the temple, had six thousand
armed men under twenty commanders; the zealots also that had come over
to him, and left off their opposition, were two thousand four hundred,
and had the same commander that they had formerly, Eleazar, together with
Simon the son of Arinus. Now, while these factions fought one against another,
the people were their prey on both sides, as we have said already; and
that part of the people who would not join with them in their wicked practices
were plundered by both factions. Simon held the upper city, and the great
wall as far as Cedron, and as much of the old wall as bent from Siloam
to the east, and which went down to the palace of Monobazus, who was king
of the Adiabeni, beyond Euphrates; he also held that fountain, and the
Acra, which was no other than the lower city; he also held all that reached
to the palace of queen Helena, the mother of Monobazus. But John held the
temple, and the parts thereto adjoining, for a great way, as also Ophla,
and the valley called "the Valley of Cedron;" and when the parts
that were interposed between their possessions were burnt by them, they
left a space wherein they might fight with each other; for this internal
sedition did not cease even when the Romans were encamped near their very
wall. But although they had grown wiser at the first onset the Romans made
upon them, this lasted but a while; for they returned to their former madness,
and separated one from another, and fought it out, and did everything that
the besiegers could desire them to do; for they never suffered any thing
that was worse from the Romans than they made each other suffer; nor was
there any misery endured by the city after these men's actions that could
be esteemed new. But it was most of all unhappy before it was overthrown,
while those that took it did it a greater kindness for I venture to affirm
that the sedition destroyed the city, and the Romans destroyed the sedition,
which it was a much harder thing to do than to destroy the walls; so that
we may justly ascribe our misfortunes to our own people, and the just vengeance
taken on them to the Romans; as to which matter let every one determine
by the actions on both sides.
2. Now when affairs within the city were in this posture, Titus went
round the city on the outside with some chosen horsemen, and looked about
for a proper place where he might make an impression upon the walls; but
as he was in doubt where he could possibly make an attack on any side,
(for the place was no way accessible where the valleys were, and on the
other side the first wall appeared too strong to be shaken by the engines,)
he thereupon thought it best to make his assault upon the monument of John
the high priest; for there it was that the first fortification was lower,
and the second was not joined to it, the builders neglecting to build strong
where the new city was not much inhabited; here also was an easy passage
to the third wall, through which he thought to take the upper city, and,
through the tower of Antonia, the temple itself But at this time, as he
was going round about the city, one of his friends, whose name was Nicanor,
was wounded with a dart on his left shoulder, as he approached, together
with Josephus, too near the wall, and attempted to discourse to those that
were upon the wall, about terms of peace; for he was a person known by
them. On this account it was that Caesar, as soon as he knew their vehemence,
that they would not hear even such as approached them to persuade them
to what tended to their own preservation, was provoked to press on the
siege. He also at the same time gave his soldiers leave to set the suburbs
on fire, and ordered that they should bring timber together, and raise
banks against the city; and when he had parted his army into three parts,
in order to set about those works, he placed those that shot darts and
the archers in the midst of the banks that were then raising; before whom
he placed those engines that threw javelins, and darts, and stones, that
he might prevent the enemy from sallying out upon their works, and might
hinder those that were upon the wall from being able to obstruct them.
So the trees were now cut down immediately, and the suburbs left naked.
But now while the timber was carrying to raise the banks, and the whole
army was earnestly engaged in their works, the Jews were not, however,
quiet; and it happened that the people of Jerusalem, who had been hitherto
plundered and murdered, were now of good courage, and supposed they should
have a breathing time, while the others were very busy in opposing their
enemies without the city, and that they should now be avenged on those
that had been the authors of their miseries, in case the Romans did but
get the victory.
3. However, John staid behind, out of his fear of Simon, even while
his own men were earnest in making a sally upon their enemies without.
Yet did not Simon lie still, for he lay near the place of the siege; he
brought his engines of war, and disposed of them at due distances upon
the wall, both those which they took from Cestius formerly, and those which
they got when they seized the garrison that lay in the tower Antonia. But
though they had these engines in their possession, they had so little skill
in using them, that they were in great measure useless to them; but a few
there were who had been taught by deserters how to use them, which they
did use, though after an awkward manner. So they cast stones and arrows
at those that were making the banks; they also ran out upon them by companies,
and fought with them. Now those that were at work covered themselves with
hurdles spread over their banks, and their engines were opposed to them
when they made their excursions. The engines, that all the legions had
ready prepared for them, were admirably contrived; but still more extraordinary
ones belonged to the tenth legion: those that threw darts and those that
threw stones were more forcible and larger than the rest, by which they
not only repelled the excursions of the Jews, but drove those away that
were upon the walls also. Now the stones that were cast were of the weight
of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave
was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way,
but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews,
they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color,
and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but
could be seen also before it came by its brightness; accordingly the watchmen
that sat upon the towers gave them notice when the engine was let go, and
the stone came from it, and cried out aloud, in their own country language,
THE STONE COMETH
(15)
so those that were in its way stood off, and threw themselves down upon
the ground; by which means, and by their thus guarding themselves, the
stone fell down and did them no harm. But the Romans contrived how to prevent
that by blacking the stone, who then could aim at them with success, when
the stone was not discerned beforehand, as it had been till then; and so
they destroyed many of them at one blow. Yet did not the Jews, under all
this distress, permit the Romans to raise their banks in quiet; but they
shrewdly and boldly exerted themselves, and repelled them both by night
and by day.
4. And now, upon the finishing the Roman works, the workmen measured
the distance there was from the wall, and this by lead and a line, which
they threw to it from their banks; for they could not measure it any otherwise,
because the Jews would shoot at them, if they came to measure it themselves;
and when they found that the engines could reach the wall, they brought
them thither. Then did Titus set his engines at proper distances, so much
nearer to the wall, that the Jews might not be able to repel them, and
gave orders they should go to work; and when thereupon a prodigious noise
echoed round about from three places, and that on the sudden there was
a great noise made by the citizens that were within the city, and no less
a terror fell upon the seditious themselves; whereupon both sorts, seeing
the common danger they were in, contrived to make a like defense. So those
of different factions cried out one to another, that they acted entirely
as in concert with their enemies; whereas they ought however, notwithstanding
God did not grant them a lasting concord, in their present circumstances,
to lay aside their enmities one against another, and to unite together
against the Romans. Accordingly, Simon gave those that came from the temple
leave, by proclamation, to go upon the wall; John also himself, though
he could not believe Simon was in earnest, gave them the same leave. So
on both sides they laid aside their hatred and their peculiar quarrels,
and formed themselves into one body; they then ran round the walls, and
having a vast number of torches with them, they threw them at the machines,
and shot darts perpetually upon those that impelled those engines which
battered the wall; nay, the bolder sort leaped out by troops upon the hurdles
that covered the machines, and pulled them to pieces, and fell upon those
that belonged to them, and beat them, not so much by any skill they had,
as principally by the boldness of their attacks. However, Titus himself
still sent assistance to those that were the hardest set, and placed both
horsemen and archers on the several sides of the engines, and thereby beat
off those that brought the fire to them; he also thereby repelled those
that shot stones or darts from the towers, and then set the engines to
work in good earnest; yet did not the wall yield to these blows, excepting
where the battering ram of the fifteenth legion moved the corner of a tower,
while the wall itself continued unhurt; for the wall was not presently
in the same danger with the tower, which was extant far above it; nor could
the fall of that part of the tower easily break down any part of the wall
itself together with it.
5. And now the Jews intermitted their sallies for a while; but when
they observed the Romans dispersed all abroad at their works, and in their
several camps, (for they thought the Jews had retired out of weariness
and fear,) they all at once made a sally at the tower Hippicus, through
an obscure gate, and at the same time brought fire to burn the works, and
went boldly up to the Romans, and to their very fortifications themselves,
where, at the cry they made, those that were near them came presently to
their assistance, and those farther off came running after them; and here
the boldness of the Jews was too hard for the good order of the Romans;
and as they beat those whom they first fell upon, so they pressed upon
those that were now gotten together. So this fight about the machines was
very hot, while the one side tried hard to set them on fire, and the other
side to prevent it; on both sides there was a confused cry made, and many
of those in the forefront of the battle were slain. However, the Jews were
now too hard for the Romans, by the furious assaults they made like madmen;
and the fire caught hold of the works, and both all those works, and the
engines themselves, had been in danger of being burnt, had not many of
these select soldiers that came from Alexandria opposed themselves to prevent
it, and had they not behaved themselves with greater courage than they
themselves supposed they could have done; for they outdid those in this
fight that had greater reputation than themselves before. This was the
state of things till Caesar took the stoutest of his horsemen, and attacked
the enemy, while he himself slew twelve of those that were in the forefront
of the Jews; which death of these men, when the rest of the multitude saw,
they gave way, and he pursued them, and drove them all into the city, and
saved the works from the fire. Now it happened at this fight that a certain
Jew was taken alive, who, by Titus's order, was crucified before the wall,
to see whether the rest of them would be aftrighted, and abate of their
obstinacy. But after the Jews were retired, John, who was commander of
the Idumeans, and was talking to a certain soldier of his acquaintance
before the wall, was wounded by a dart shot at him by an Arabian, and died
immediately, leaving the greatest lamentation to the Jews, and sorrow to
the seditious. For he was a man of great eminence, both for his actions
and his conduct also.
CHAPTER 7.
HOW ONE OF THE TOWERS ERECTED BY THE ROMANS FELL DOWN OF
ITS OWN ACCORD; AND HOW THE ROMANS AFTER GREAT SLAUGHTER HAD BEEN MADE
GOT POSSESSION OF THE FIRST WALL. HOW ALSO TITUS MADE HIS ASSAULTS UPON
THE SECOND WALL; AS ALSO CONCERNING LONGINUS THE ROMAN, AND CASTOR THE
JEW.
1. NOW, on the next night, a surprising disturbance fell upon the Romans;
for whereas Titus had given orders for the erection of three towers of
fifty cubits high, that by setting men upon them at every bank, he might
from thence drive those away who were upon the wall, it so happened that
one of these towers fell down about midnight; and as its fall made a very
great noise, fear fell upon the army, and they, supposing that the enemy
was coming to attack them, ran all to their arms. Whereupon a disturbance
and a tumult arose among the legions, and as nobody could tell what had
happened, they went on after a disconsolate manner; and seeing no enemy
appear, they were afraid one of another, and every one demanded of his
neighbor the watchword with great earnestness, as though the Jews had invaded
their camp. And now were they like people under a panic fear, till Titus
was informed of what had happened, and gave orders that all should be acquainted
with it; and then, though with some difficulty, they got clear of the disturbance
they had been under.
2. Now these towers were very troublesome to the Jews, who otherwise
opposed the Romans very courageously; for they shot at them out of their
lighter engines from those towers, as they did also by those that threw
darts, and the archers, and those that flung stones. For neither could
the Jews reach those that were over them, by reason of their height; and
it was not practicable to take them, nor to overturn them, they were so
heavy, nor to set them on fire, because they were covered with plates of
iron. So they retired out of the reach of the darts, and did no longer
endeavor to hinder the impression of their rams, which, by continually
beating upon the wall, did gradually prevail against it; so that the wall
already gave way to the Nico, for by that name did the Jews themselves
call the greatest of their engines, because it conquered all things. And
now they were for a long while grown weary of fighting, and of keeping
guards, and were retired to lodge in the night time at a distance from
the wall. It was on other accounts also thought by them to be superfluous
to guard the wall, there being besides that two other fortifications still
remaining, and they being slothful, and their counsels having been ill
concerted on all occasions; so a great many grew lazy and retired. Then
the Romans mounted the breach, where Nico had made one, and all the Jews
left the guarding that wall, and retreated to the second wall; so those
that had gotten over that wall opened the gates, and received all the army
within it. And thus did the Romans get possession of this first wall, on
the fifteenth day of the siege, which was the seventh day of the month
Artemisius, [Jyar,] when they demolished a great part of it, as well as
they did of the northern parts of the city, which had been demolished also
by Cestius formerly.
3. And now Titus pitched his camp within the city, at that place which
was called "the Camp of the Assyrians," having seized upon all
that lay as far as Cedron, but took care to be out of the reach of the
Jews' darts. He then presently began his attacks, upon which the Jews divided
themselves into several bodies, and courageously defended that wall; while
John and his faction did it from the tower of Antonia, and from the northern
cloister of the temple, and fought the Romans before the monuments of king
Alexander; and Sireoh's army also took for their share the spot of ground
that was near John's monument, and fortified it as far as to that gate
where water was brought in to the tower Hippicus. However, the Jews made
violent sallies, and that frequently also, and in bodies together out of
the gates, and there fought the Romans; and when they were pursued all
together to the wall, they were beaten in those fights, as wanting the
skill of the Romans. But when they fought them from the walls, they were
too hard for them; the Romans being encouraged by their pow |
