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Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: Jun. 14, 2025
Update	: Jun. 14, 2025
Parts	: 25

Synopsis:




Continuing our discussion from part five, as we learned near the end of part five, after consolidating a great 60,000-man army at Ptolemais, Vespasian, his son Titus, and all of the other kings and auxiliary armies which were allied with him marched to the border of the Galilee. Upon arriving at that place, rather than immediately engaging in war with the Jews, they let themselves be seen by the Jews, so as to strike fear into them. This strategy worked so well, that Josephus writes that his own army abandoned him so that he was left with just a few men. Realizing the futility of the situation, Josephus then fled to the city of Tiberias.

Josephus begins Chapter 7 of Book 3 by informing his readers that the Galilean city of Gadara was the first to be taken by Vespasian, being as there were few men of fighting age in it. Vespasian also set fire to, and took slaves from, all of the surrounding villas and small cities as well. With the arrival of Josephus in Tiberias, the people were put into great fear, because they understood that he would not have fled from the Romans, unless he realized the futility of further resistance against the Romans. This was indeed true. He knew that it was only through submission to the Romans that any of them would remain alive.

Despite knowing this truth, Josephus chose to fight anyway. After sending a letter to the leaders in Jerusalem in which he informed them of the state of the war in Galilee, and in which he requested that they inform him of whether they were going to resist the Romans or submit to them, Josephus left Tiberias and went to Jotapata. Now, Vespasian was intent on taking Jotapata, because he had gotten intelligence that the largest part of the Jewish resistance had moved there. When he further learned that Josephus had already gone there ahead of him, even more so, Vespasian was desirous to take Jotapata, because he was convinced that by taking the city, the rest of Judea would quickly fall to him.

What followed was a long, hard battle in which many men fell on both sides, because the city could not be easily taken due to the surrounding topography which consisted of deep ravines, steep valleys and mountains. While the fierce battle continued to rage on, Vespasian sent Trajan to the nearby city of Japha to subdue it. After a short-lived battle, rather than take the city completely himself, Trajan sent word to Vespasian in which he requested that Vespasian send Titus to claim victory over the city, which Vespasian in fact did. Japha was then defeated in short order with over fifteen thousand Galileans killed, and more than two thousand enslaved.

The people of Samaria suffered a similar fate. A fighting force of over eleven thousand men assembled on the holy mountain of Gerizzim. Thus, Vespasian sent Cerealis, who was the commander of the fifth legion, to subdue Samaria. The insurrectionists on Gerizzim were already at a disadvantage, because in addition to it being the middle of summer, they were low on water. While Cerealis gave them an opportunity to surrender, as occurred in most other similar situations, they refused, and were thus soon slaughtered.

So thus far, Gadara has fallen, Japha has fallen, Samaria has fallen, and Jotapata is in the process of being taken as well. Furthermore, Sepphoris has submitted to Roman subjugation. At this point in his narration, Josephus returns to the battle for Jotapata. On the forty-seventh day of the battle, the banks or earthworks the Romans had built around the city reached higher than the defensive wall of the city itself.

At that point, we are informed that a deserter from Jotapata revealed the true state of the city and its fighting force to Vespasian. In fact, he told Vespasian when would be the best time to attack. While Vespasian doubted the man, nevertheless, the man's information proved to be accurate, and Jotapata was soon taken. In the end, Josephus remarks that forty thousand Galileans were killed, and another twelve hundred were taken into slavery. He also adds that "Vespasian gave order that the city should be entirely demolished, and all the fortifications burnt down."

In Book 3 Chapter 8, we finally learn how it was that Josephus came to side with the Romans, after having fought hard along side of his Jewish brethren. With the defeat and destruction of Jotapata, the Romans were very intent on finding Josephus, due to the obvious hatred they felt towards him. As for his part, Vespasian believed that once Josephus was captured, the rest of the Jewish insurrection would crumble, and a major part of the war would be over. Josephus then relates exactly how his capture occurred, or more accurately, how he willingly surrendered to the Romans, as we read in the following excerpt:

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"And now the Romans searched for Josephus, both out of the hatred they bore him, and because their general was very desirous to have him taken; for he reckoned that if he were once taken, the greatest part of the war would be over. They then searched among the dead, and looked into the most concealed recesses of the city; but as the city was first taken, he was assisted by a certain supernatural providence; for he withdrew himself from the enemy when he was in the midst of them, and leaped into a certain deep pit, whereto there adjoined a large den at one side of it, which den could not be seen by those that were above ground; and here he met with forty persons of eminency that had concealed themselves, and with provisions enough to satisfy them for not a few days. So in the day time he hid himself from the enemy, who had seized upon all places, and in the night time he got up out of the den, and looked about for some way of escaping, and took exact notice of the watch: but as all places were guarded everywhere on his account, that there was no way of getting off unseen, he went down again into the den. Thus he concealed himself two days; but on the third day, when they had taken a woman who had been with them, he was discovered. Whereupon Vespasian sent immediately and zealously two tribunes, Paulinus and Galicanus, and ordered them to give Josephus their right hands as a security for his life, and to exhort him to come up.

So they came and invited the man to come up, and gave him assurances that his life should he preserved: but they did not prevail with him; for he gathered suspicions from the probability there was that one who had done so many things against the Romans, must suffer for it, though not from the mild temper of those that invited him. However, he was afraid that he was invited to come up in order to be punished, until Vespasian sent besides these a third tribune, Nicanor, to him; he was one that was well known to Josephus, and had been his familiar acquaintance in old time. When he was come, he enlarged upon the natural mildness of the Romans towards those they have once conquered, and told him, that he had behaved himself so valiantly, that the commanders rather admired than hated him; that the general was very desirous to have him brought to him, not in order to punish him, for that lie could do though he should not come voluntarily, but that he was determined to preserve a man of his courage. He moreover added this, that Vespasian, had he been resolved to impose upon him, would not have sent to him a friend of his own, nor put the fairest colour upon the vilest action, by pretending friendship and meaning perfidiousness, nor would he have himself acquiesced, or come to him, had it been to deceive him."

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At first Josephus remained hesitant and filled with distrust, particularly after two of the Roman soldiers wanted to set the den on fire. However, Nicanor the tribune prevented them from doing so, and then Josephus recalled the many dreams he had experienced, which to him seemed to indicate that he was supposed to surrender to the Romans, for the sake of his own people. As I mentioned earlier, Josephus had already become convinced that the Roman invasion was God's punishment on the Jews. In fact, during the battle for Japha, he wrote "It was certainly God therefore who brought the Romans to punish the Galileans." Thus, after recalling his dreams, Josephus chose to surrender himself to the Romans who came for him.

However, there was one major complication. The other nobles who were trapped in the den with him protested, arguing that it was better to die proudly as a Jew, than to simply live as a traitor amongst the Romans. In fact, the nobles were so determined about this issue, that when Josephus attempted to leave, they drew their swords at him. Upon this happening, Josephus then launched into a long, philosophical speech in which he endeavored to change the minds of the Jewish nobles who were with him in the den. Yet despite his pleas, he was unable to deter them from their intentions, and they attacked him anyway.

As a last resort to save his own life, Josephus then recounts how he proposed that if the Jewish nobles in the den were so intent on dying, rather than surrendering themselves to their Roman enemies, they should draw lots, and each man would kill the man before him by slicing his throat. Not surprisingly, they all agreed to this and did exactly that, until only one other man and Josephus himself were left standing. Josephus then convinced the other man to trust in him. Thus, in such a fashion was Josephus' life spared, and he turned himself over to Nicanor and the other two tribunes. Josephus describes this event in Book 3 Chapter 8 of "The Wars of the Jews", as can be seen below:

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"However, in this extreme distress, he was not destitute of his usual sagacity; but trusting himself to the providence of God, he put his life into hazard [in the manner following]: "And now," said he, "since it is resolved among you that you will die, come on, let us commit our mutual deaths to determination by lot. He whom the lot falls to first, let him be killed by him that hath the second lot, and thus fortune shall make its progress through us all; nor shall any of us perish by his own right hand, for it would be unfair if when the rest are gone, somebody should repent and save himself." This proposal appeared to them to be very just; and when he had prevailed with them to determine this matter by lots, he drew one of the lots for himself also. He who had the first lot laid his neck bare to him that had the next, as supposing that the general would die among them immediately; for they thought death, if Josephus might but die with them, was sweeter than life: yet was he with another left to the last, whether we must say it happened so by chance, or whether by the providence of God. And as he was very desirous neither to be condemned by the lot, nor, if he had been left to the last, to imbrue his right hand in the blood of his countrymen, he persuaded him to trust his fidelity to him, and to live as well as himself.

Thus Josephus escaped in the war with the Romans, and in this his own war with his friends, and was led by Nicanor to Vespasian."

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While many soldiers in the Roman camp wanted Josephus dead, Titus convinced his father, Vespasian, to spare his life. It was initially Vespasian's intention to send Josephus to Nero himself. However, in a private conversation with Vespasian and Titus, Josephus tried to convince them that following Nero's own death, they would both eventually become emperor. As such, it would be wiser for them to keep him -- meaning Josephus -- to themselves, rather than send him to Emperor Nero. While at first Vespasian doubted Josephus' words, he conferred with others who had heard and seen predictions by Josephus come to pass. In this way, Vespasian likewise came to believe that Josephus spoke truthfully, and that he and Titus would indeed become emperors.

Following the victory over Jotapata and Josephus' capture, Vespasian returned to their base at Ptolemais, after which he traveled to Caesarea, which was favorable to the Romans, being as it was primarily inhabited by Greeks, who as we learned earlier in this series, absolutely hated the Jews. Meanwhile, many of the seditionists who had survived the previous attacks and who had escaped from those cities which had been destroyed by the Romans, went to the coastal city of Joppa, which they repaired and used as a place of refuge. Not only that, but they became pirates as well who made it unsafe to travel the waters from Egypt to Syria.

Becoming aware of the situation, Vespasian sent an army to subdue Joppa. However, upon becoming aware of the approach of the Romans, the pirates fled in their ships, rather than fight the Romans. But this was a tragic mistake, because the coastal area was not a natural haven for ships, and was full of many dangerous rocks, currents and great waves. Because of these dreadful conditions, when a great wind arose, all of the ships were dashed to pieces, and thousands of pirates lost their lives. In this way, Joppa was taken by the Romans. To safeguard Joppa from the return of the pirates, Vespasian established a military camp there who then proceeded to cut down and destroy the surrounding villages and cities.

Meanwhile, word of the destruction of Jotapata had reached Jerusalem. At first there was disbelief, being as there was nobody to confirm that the rumor was indeed true. However, the truth of the matter was slowly accepted as word spread from the cities which were nearby to Jotapata. At the same time, a rumor had spread that Josephus had been killed in the battle against Jotapata. This rumor resulted in great mourning occurring in Jerusalem. But then it was revealed that not only was Josephus not dead at all, but that he had been captured by the Romans, and was being treated rather well by them. In this way, those who had been mourning for him, now grew extremely angry with him, and viewed him as a deserter and a coward. Thus, Josephus writes as follows in Book 3 Chapter 9 of "The Wars of the Jews":

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"But now, when the fate of Jotapata was related at Jerusalem, a great many at the first disbelieved it, on account of the vastness of the calamity, and because they had no eye-witness to attest the truth of what was related about it: for not one person was saved to be a messenger of that news, but a fame was spread abroad at random that the city was taken, as such fame usually spreads bad news about. However, the truth was known by degrees, from the places near Jotapata, and appeared to all to be too true. Yet were there fictitious stories added to what was really done; for it was reported that Josephus was slain at the taking of the city, which piece of news filled Jerusalem full of sorrow. In every house also, and among all to whom any of the slain were allied, there was a lamentation for them; but the mourning for the commander was a public one, and some mourned for those that had lived with them, others for their kindred, others for their friends, and others for their brethren, but all mourned for Josephus; insomuch that the lamentation did not cease in the city before the thirtieth day, and a great many hired mourners, with their pipes, who should begin the melancholy ditties for them.

But as the truth came out in time, it appeared how the affairs of Jotapata really stood; yet was it found that the death of Josephus was a fiction; and when they understood that he was alive, and was among the Romans, and that the commanders treated him at another rate than they treated captives, they were as vehemently angry at him now, as they had showed their good-will before, when he appeared to have been dead. He was also abused by some as having been a coward, and by others as a deserter; and the city was full of indignation at him, and of reproaches cast upon him;"

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Not only did the Jerusalemites become very angry at Josephus upon learning of his current state, but they also became more inflamed against the Romans, and more determined than ever to avenge themselves against them. Meanwhile, at the invitation of his ally, King Herod Agrippa II, Vespasian left Caesarea, and took his army to Caesarea Philippi, in order to relax for a few weeks while being royally hosted by the king. However, while there, Vespasian learned that two of Agrippa's cities -- Tiberias and Taricheae -- were in revolt. Thus, after sending Titus to retrieve the army that was stationed at Caesarea -- not Caesarea Philippi -- Vespasian waited at Scythopolis, which was the largest city in the ten-city region known as Decapolis.

Then, following a common Roman psychological tactic, Vespasian encamped his army about eleven miles outside of Tiberias in a place where the people in Tiberias could very easily see them. Again, this was to instill fear in them, in the hope that they would choose to surrender peacefully to the Romans, instead of foolishly fighting against them. However, once again, the same problem existed in Tiberias, as existed in Jerusalem and other Israelite cities. That is that while the common people desired peace with the Romans, the seditionists pressured the people to fight on their behalf instead.

Thus it was that when Vespasian sent Valerian to try to talk some sense into the people of Tiberias, a band of the robbers went out and attacked them. Rather than disobey Vespasian's orders, Valerian and some of his men retreated, leaving their horses behind them, as we see by the following excerpt from Book 3 Chapter 9:

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"He also sent Valerian, a decurion, with fifty horsemen, to speak peaceably to those that were in the city, and to exhort them to give him assurances of their fidelity; for he had heard that the people were desirous of peace, but were obliged by some of THE SEDITIOUS part to join with them, and so were forced to fight for them. When Valerian had marched up to the place, and was near the wall, he alighted off his horse, and made those that were with him do the same, that they might not he thought to come to skirmish with them: but before they could come to a discourse one with another, the most potent men among THE SEDITIOUS made a sally upon them armed, their leader was one whose name was Jesus, the son of Shaphat, the principal head of a BAND OF ROBBERS. Now Valerian, neither thinking it safe to fight contrary to the commands of the general, though he were secure of a victory, and knowing that it was a very hazardous undertaking for a few to fight with many, for those that were unprovided to fight those that were ready, and being on other accounts surprised at this unexpected onset of the Jews, he ran away on foot, as did five of the rest in like manner, and left their horses behind them; which horses Jesus led away into the city, and rejoiced as if they had taken them in battle and not by treachery."

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Of course, just as we saw earlier how the wiser Jerusalemites understood that the actions of the seditionists were putting the entire city in danger, the leaders and elders of Tiberias realized the same thing. And so, along with their king, they went to Vespasian and begged for mercy, requesting that their entire city not be punished due to the rebellion of the few.

While Vespasian granted them their petition, nevertheless, he sent Trajan to Tiberias, to verify that the people were truly willing to submit to Rome and live in peace. Meanwhile, the seditionists in Tiberias, knowing that Vespasian and Agrippa were allies, understood that it was no longer safe for them to remain in Tiberias. Thus they fled to Taricheae, which had formerly been Josephus' base of operations. In this way, the city of Tiberias became the next place to be subdued by the superior Roman forces. Josephus writes as follows:

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"Now the seniors of the people, and such as were of principal authority among them, fearing what would be the issue of this matter, fled to the camp of the Romans: they then took their king along with them, and fell down before Vespasian, to supplicate his favour, and besought him not to overlook them, nor to impute the madness of a few to a whole city, to spare a people that have been ever civil and obliging to the Romans; but to bring the authors of this revolt to due punishment, who had hitherto so watched them, that though they were zealous to give them the security of their right hands of a long time, yet could they not accomplish the same. With these supplications the general complied, although he were very angry at the whole city about the carrying off his horses, and this because he saw that Agrippa was under a great concern for them. So when Vespasian and Agrippa had accepted of their right hands by way of security, Jesus and his party thought it not safe for them to continue at Tiberias, so they ran away to Taricheae.

The next day Vespasian sent Trajan before with some horsemen to the citadel, to make trial of the multitude, whether they were all disposed for peace; and as soon as he knew that the people were of the same mind with the petitioners, he took his army, and went to the city; upon which the citizens opened to him their gates, and met him with acclamations of joy, and called him their saviour and benefactor. But as the army was a great while in getting in at the gates, they were so narrow, Vespasian commanded the south wall to be broken down, and so made a broad passage for their entrance. However, he charged them to abstain from rapine and injustice, in order to gratify the king, and on his account spared the rest of the wall, while the king undertook for them that they should continue [faithful to the Romans,] for the time to come. And thus did he restore this city to a quiet state, after it had been grievously afflicted by the sedition."

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With all of the seditionists having fled to Taricheae, which was located at the bottom of a mountain, and nestled right against the Sea of Galilee -- a.k.a. the lake of Gennesareth -- it was only natural that Vespasian would target that city next. Thus, as we begin Book 3 Chapter 10, Vespasian's army has encamped between Tiberias and Taricheae. While the Romans were busy building a fortification wall around their camp, the seditionists attacked them and caused them to disperse. However, the Romans rallied and forced the insurrectionists into their ships which were on the Sea of Galilee.

Vespasian then received news that a great multitude of the seditionists were gathering on the plain that was before the city, meaning Taricheae. Thus, he sent his son, Titus, with horsemen to disperse them. However, upon realize that they were greatly outnumbered, Titus sent word to his father that he required more forces. In the meantime, Titus also knew that there was some concern amongst his ranks, being as they only had six hundred horsemen, while the Jews were a great multitude. Thus, Titus proceeded to encourage his troops with a long motivational speech.

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"And now Vespasian pitched his camp between this city and Taricheae, but fortified his camp more strongly, as suspecting that he should be forced to stay there, and have a long war; for all the innovators [the seditionists] had gotten together at Taricheae, as relying upon the strength of the city, and on the lake that lay by it. This lake is called by the people of the country the lake of Gennesareth. The city itself is situated like Tiberias, at the bottom of a mountain, and on those sides which are not washed by the sea, had been strongly fortified by Josephus, though not so strongly as Tiberias; for the wall of Tiberias had been built at the beginning of the Jews' revolt, when he had great plenty of money, and great power, but Taricheae partook only the remains of that liberality. Yet had they a great number of ships gotten ready upon the lake, that, in case they were beaten at land, they might retire to them, and they were so fitted up, that they might undertake a sea-fight also. But as the Romans were building a wall about their camp, Jesus and his party were neither affrighted at their number, nor at the good order they were in, but made a sally upon them, and at the very first onset the builders of the wall were dispersed, and these pulled what little they had before built to pieces; but as soon as they saw the armed men getting together, and before they had suffered anything themselves, they retired to their own men. But then the Romans pursued them, and drove them into their ships, where they launched out as far as might give them the opportunity of reaching the Romans with what they threw at them, and then cast anchor, and brought their ships close, as in a line of battle, and thence fought the enemy from the sea, who were themselves at land. But Vespasian hearing that a great multitude of them were gotten together in the plain that was before the city, he thereupon sent his son, with six hundred chosen horsemen to disperse them.

But when Titus perceived that the enemy was very numerous, he sent to his father, and informed him, that he should want more forces. But as he saw a great many of the horsemen eager to fight, and that before any succours should come to them, and that yet some of them were privately under a sort of consternation at the multitude of the Jews, he stood in a place whence he might be heard, and said to them . . ."

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As Titus concluded his speech, many reinforcements arrived from Vespasian, and the battle began. Eventually, the battle began to go poorly for the Jews, so that those who remained alive on the plain were forced to retreat to inside the city. But what occurred next was not expected. Since the beginning, the local inhabitants of Taricheae did NOT want to resist the Roman army, and as we've already discussed several time now, the only reason they did fight, was because the outsiders -- meaning the seditionists -- forced them to fight. Thus a loud tumult arose as they began arguing with each other, and the insurrectionists began to kill the townspeople who refused to fight.

Being near to the city wall, Titus heard the tumult and knew that it was the opportune time to attack the seditionists as they fought against each other within the city. Thus, he led the charge as the Romans entered the city, and began to kill the insurrectionists, while sparing the actual inhabitants of the city. Titus then sent word to his father concerning his success, after which Vespasian himself came to Taricheae. His first order was to set guards so that nobody would be able to escape from the city. After that, he ordered that ships be prepared so that they could pursue the seditionists who had fled in boats.

With the sound defeat of Taricheae, in addition to the many smaller villages, cities and villas which had been destroyed or else brought under Roman submission throughout the land of Israel, the following larger cities had likewise fallen to or else voluntarily submitted to the Romans up until this point in time according to Josephus. This list may not be complete:

Caesarea
Caesarea Philippi
Gadara
Japha
Joppa
Jotapata
Ptolemais
Samaria
Sepphoris
Taricheae
Tiberias

Please go to part seven for the continuation of this series.

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