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

Synopsis:




Continuing our discussion from part nine, and our examination of Book 4 Chapter 7 of "The Wars of the Jews", Josephus tells us that the situation within Jerusalem was so bad due to war, tyranny and sedition, that some Jerusalemites even viewed the war with the Romans as being the lesser problem. As a result, some of them chose to flee to the Roman camp, believing that Vespasian would offer them better protection than even their own Jewish brethren who were fighting amongst themselves, and killing each other. Thus, Josephus writes as follows:

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"But because the city had to struggle with three of the greatest misfortunes, war, and tyranny, and sedition, it appeared upon the comparison, that the war was the least troublesome to the populace of them all. Accordingly they ran away from their own houses to foreigners, and obtained that preservation from the Romans, which they despaired to obtain among their own people."

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At this point in his narration, Josephus again turns his attention to the violent Sicarii who were still holed up at the fortress of Masada. He writes that in order to augment their supplies, they plundered all of the cities that were in the immediate region around Masada. Not only did they rob as much as they could, but they drove the people from their cities, and those that remained -- namely women and children -- were slain by the robbers. Furthermore, more wicked men continued to join the ranks of the Sicarii robbers. It grew so bad that Josephus writes that the violence that had been occurring in Jerusalem spread to the surrounding area, and all of Judea was now inflamed, as we see by the following excerpt:

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"And now a fourth misfortune arose, in order to bring our nation to destruction. There was a fortress of very great strength not far from Jerusalem, which had been built by our ancient kings, both as a repository for their effects in the hazards of war, and for the preservation of their bodies at the same time. It was called Masada. Those that were called SICARII had taken possession of it formerly, hut at this time they over-ran the countries, aiming only to procure to themselves necessaries; for the fear they were then in prevented their further ravages. But when once they were informed that the Roman army lay still, and that the Jews were divided by sedition and tyranny, they boldly undertook greater matters; and at the feast of unleavened bread, which the Jews celebrate in memory of their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, when they were sent back into the country of their forefathers, they came down by night, without being discovered by those that could have prevented them, and over-ran a certain small city called Engaddi. In which expedition they prevented those citizens that could have stopped them, before they could arm themselves, and fight them. They also dispersed them, and cast them out of the city: as for such as could not run away being w^omen and children, they slew of them above seven hundred. Afterward, when they had carried everything out of their houses and had seized upon all the fruits that were in a flourishing condition, they brought them into Masada. And indeed these men laid all the villages that were about the fortress waste, and made the whole country desolate; while there came to them every day, from all parts, not a few men as corrupt as themselves. At that time all the other regions of Judea that had hitherto been at rest were in motion, by means of THE ROBBERS. Now as it is in a human body, if the principal part be inflamed, all the members are subject to the same distemper, so by means of the disorder that was in the metropolis [meaning Jerusalem], had the wicked men that were in the country opportunity to ravage the same.

Accordingly when every one of them had plundered their own villages, they then retired into the desert: yet were these men that now got together and joined in the conspiracy by parties, too small for an army, and too many for a gang of thieves: and thus did they fall upon the holy places, and the cities; yet did it now so happen that they were sometimes very ill treated by those upon whom they fell with such violence, and were taken by them as men are taken in war: but still they prevented any farther punishment as do ROBBERS, who as soon as their ravages [are discovered] run their way. Nor was there now any part of Judea that was not in a miserable condition, as well as its most eminent city [meaning Jerusalem] also."

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Given the dire and dangerous situation which existed within Jerusalem due to the violence which was being committed by the Zealots, and despite the fact that the Sicarii watched all of the exits leading out of the city, some deserters were still able to escape, and so fled to Vespasian's camp where they asked him for his assistance in putting down the Zealots within the city. Josephus writes that Vespasian did pity them. However, before beginning the siege against the city of Jerusalem itself, he wanted to make sure that all of the insurrectionists in the surrounding area were put down first, so that the Romans could not be attacked from behind. Thus, they marched to Gadara, where some of the rebels had fled.

Similar to all of the other cities and villages at that time, Gadara was divided between the people who wanted peace, and the Zealots who were determined to fight against the Romans. Thus, upon learning about Vespasian's approach to their city, the peacemakers sent ambassadors to him, informing him of their willingness to surrender to Rome. This was done without the seditionists within the city being aware of their actions. However, the insurrectionists soon did get wind of the peace plan. Realizing that they were no match for the Romans, they murdered one of the principal men of the city, and then fled. Josephus describes the situation in the following manner:

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"These things were told Vespasian by deserters; for although THE SEDITIOUS watched all the passages out of the city and destroyed all, whosoever they were, that came thither, yet were there some that had concealed themselves, and when they had fled to the Romans, persuaded their general to come to their city's assistance, and save the remainder of the people; informing him withal, that it was upon account of the people's good-will to the Romans that many of them were already slain, and the survivors in danger of the same treatment. Vespasian did indeed already pity the calamities these men were in, and arose, in appearance, as though he. was going to besiege Jerusalem, but in reality to deliver them from a [worse] siege they were already under. HOWEVER, HE WAS OBLIGED FIRST TO OVERTHROW WHAT REMAINED ELSEWHERE, AND TO LEAVE NOTHING OUT OF JERUSALEM BEHIND HIM, that might interrupt him in that siege.

Accordingly he marched against Gadara the metropolis of Perea which was a place of strength, and entered that city on the fourth day of the month Dystrus [Adar]; for the men of power had sent an embassage to him, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SEDITIOUS, to treat about a surrender; which they did out of the desire they had of peace, and for saving their effects, because many of the citizens of Gadara were rich men.

This embassy THE OPPOSITE PARTY KNEW NOTHING OF, but discovered it as Vespasian was approaching near the city. However, they despaired of keeping possession of the city, as being inferior in number to their enemies which were within the city, and seeing the Romans very near to the city; so they resolved to fly, but thought it dishonourable to do it without shedding some blood, and revenging themselves on the authors of this surrender; so they seized upon Dolesus, (a person not only the first in rank and family in that city, but one that seemed the occasion of sending such an embassy) and slew him, and treated his dead body after a barbarous manner, so very violent was their anger at him, and then ran out of the city.

And as now the Roman army was just upon them, the people of Gadara admitted Vespasian with joyful acclamations, and received from him the security of his right hand, as also a garrison of horsemen and footmen, to guard them against the excursions of THE RUNAGATES; for as to their wall they had pulled it down before the Romans desired them so to do, that they might thereby give them assurance that they were lovers of peace, and that, if they had a mind they could not now make war against them."

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In the next few paragraphs, Josephus explains how Vespasian sent Placidus with an army to pursue the rebels who escaped from Gadara, while he returned with the rest of the army to Caesarea. Placidus pursued the insurrectionists to a village called Bethennabris, where the rebels were routed, and many of them were slaughtered. At that point, the guards on the walls of Bethennabris shut the gates so that the Romans were not able to enter their village. However, in the end, they were defeated, and the village was burned to the ground.

But some people were able to escape from the village. They in turn fled to the surrounding countryside and convinced the people that the entire Roman army was in pursuit of them, even though it was not true. This resulted in a great multitude fleeing towards Jericho, being as it was a city with a strong wall. However, disaster struck the Jews yet again, because Placidus forced them as far as the Jordan River, which they were not able to cross due to the recent rains. As a result, over 15,000 Jews were slain, while yet other men were forced into the river. Thousands were also enslaved.

But Placidus did not stop there. He continued on and took other small villages and cities -- such as Abila, Julias and Bezemoth -- so that eventually, all of the region of Perea had either surrendered to the Romans, or had been overthrown by the same. You will find Perea and some of these villages on the right side of the map which I included in part seven of this series. So once again we see that little by little, all of Israel is being subdued by the Romans, with the city of Jerusalem being the ultimate prize in the war.

Josephus next informs his readers that due to a rebellion by the Gauls against Emperor Nero which stirred up in Gall -- also known as Galatia, which today pertains to the central region of Turkey -- Vespasian wanted to end the campaign in Israel as soon as possible. Thus, he marched his army out of Caesarea and began subduing many of the cities and villages which still remained in rebellion. In the following excerpt, Josephus describes Vespasian's route of conquest, beginning at Caesarea, then going to Antipatris, followed by Thamnas, Lydda, Jamnia, Emmaus, Bethletephon, Betaris -- Baitogabra -- and other cities in Idumea, followed by returning to Emmaus. After that, he marched from Emmaus through Samaria by Neapolis -- known to the Jews as Schechem or Sychar -- before finally coming to Jericho. Josephus writes thusly:

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"In the meantime an account came, that there were commotions in Gall, and that Vindex, together with the men of power in that country, had revolted from Nero, which affair is more accurately described elsewhere. This report thus related to Vespasian, excited him to go on briskly with the war; for he foresaw already the civil wars which were coming upon them, nay, that the very government was in danger, and he thought, if he could first reduce the eastern parts of the empire to peace, he should make the fears for Italy the lighter; while therefore the winter was his hinderance, [from going into the field], he put garrisons into the villages and smaller cities for their security; he put decurions also into the villages, and centurions into the cities, he besides this built many of the cities that had been laid waste, but at the beginning of the spring he took the greatest part of his army, and led it from Caesarea, to Antipatris, where he spent two days in settling the affairs of that city, and then, on the third day, he marched on, laying waste and burning all the neighbouring villages. And when he had laid waste all the places about the toparchy of Thamnas, he passed on to Lydda, and Jamnia, and when both these cities had come over to him, he placed a great many of those that had come over to him [from other places] as inhabitants therein, and then came to Emmaus, where he seized upon the passages which led thence to their metropolis, and fortified his camp, and leaving the fifth legion therein, he came to the toparchy of Bethletephon. He then destroyed that place, and the neighbouring places by fire, and fortified at proper places, the strongholds all about Idumea; and when he had seized upon two villages, which were in the very midst of Idumea, Betaris and Capartobas, he slew above ten thousand of the people, and carried into captivity above a thousand, and drove away the rest of the multitude, and placed no small part of his own forces in them, who over-ran and laid waste the whole mountainous country; while he, with the rest of his forces returned to Emmaus, when he came down, through the country of Samaria, and hard by the city, by others called Neapolis (or Sichem), but by the people of that country, Mabortha, to Corea, where he pitched his camp, on the second day of the month Desius, [Sivan]; and on the day following he came to Jericho, on which day Trajan, one of his commanders, joined him with the forces he brought out of Perea, all the places beyond Jordan, being subdued already."

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In order to help you to better visualize the general route which Vespasian took, below is another map of First Century Israel during the Roman occupation. I have marked the map the best I can with dotted red lines based on what Josephus wrote. Of course, I cannot guarantee its absolute accuracy, but it will at least provide you with a general idea of how Vespasian led his army through this region of Israel before arriving at Jericho. I have likewise numbered each advance so you can easily follow Vespasian's progress. Please note that this is a large map, so you will probably want to view it either on a desktop or on a laptop computer.



What I find interesting at this point of our story is the fact that according to what Josephus wrote, the people of Jericho did not even put up a fight. In fact, he writes that upon learning of the approach of Vespasian's army, a great multitude of the people fled to the mountains around the city of Jerusalem. Regarding those people who chose to stay behind, Josephus writes that they were simply destroyed by the Romans, as we read in the following excerpt taken from Chapter 8:

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"Hereupon a great multitude prevented [meaning went before] their [meaning Vespasian's army] approach, and came out of Jericho, and fled to those mountainous parts that lay over against Jerusalem, while that part which was left behind was in a great measure destroyed; they also found the city desolate [meaning empty]."

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As we enter Book 4 Chapter 9 of "The Wars of the Jews", we are informed by Josephus that with all of the recent Roman victories, Vespasian has now fully succeeded in isolating the city of Jerusalem. One of the last towns that was taken at this point is Gerasa, which fell to Roman troops under the command of Lucius Annius. Meanwhile, Josephus reminds us again that the people of Jerusalem are in a major bind. Not only are the Romans drawing ever closer, but the Zealots are preventing the peaceful Jerusalemites from even leaving the city. Thus, Josephus writes as follows:

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"And now Vespasian had fortified all the places round about Jerusalem, and erected citadels at Jericho and Adida, and placed garrisons in them both, partly out of their own Romans, and partly out of the body of his auxiliaries. He also sent Lucius Annius to Gerasa, and delivered to him a body of horsemen; and a considerable number of footmen. So when he had taken the city, which he did at the first onset, he slew a thousand of those young men who had not prevented him by flying away: but he took their families captive; and permitted his soldiers to plunder them of their effects; after which he set fire to their houses, and went away to the adjoining villages, while the men of power fled away, and the weaker part were destroyed, and what was remaining was all burnt down.

And now the war having gone through all the mountainous country, and all the plain country also, those that were at Jerusalem were deprived of the liberty of going out of the city: for as to such as had a mind to desert, they were watched by THE ZEALOTS; and to such as were not yet on the side of the Romans, their army kept them in, by encompassing the city round about on all sides."

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With Jericho subdued, Vespasian returned to Caesarea, where he began preparations to march directly to Jerusalem so as to begin the siege there. However, his plans were cut short when word was received that Emperor Nero had taken his own life by suicide. As I briefly discussed in part seven, due to Nero's sudden death, a civil war broke as different men sought to become the new emperor of the Roman Empire. There were in fact three short-lived emperors during the "Year of the Four Emperors". These were Galba, Otho and Vitellius.

Because of this unexpected change in leadership, Vespasian chose to delay his march on Jerusalem until the political dust settled, and until he could receive new instructions from Rome regarding the war campaign. It was for that same reason that Vespasian sent his son, Titus, who accompanied by King Herod Agrippa II, set sail for Rome in order to receive new orders from Galba, who was emperor at that point in time. However, even before they could arrive there, Galba had been killed, and Otho had become the new emperor. While Agrippa chose to continue on to Rome, Josephus informs us that Titus hastily returned to his father in Caesarea, where they both waited with anticipation to see the outcome of the ongoing civil war in Rome. Thus, in Book 4 Chapter 9 we read as follows:

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"Now as Vespasian was returned to Caesarea, and was getting ready with all his army to march directly to Jerusalem, he was informed that Nero was dead, after he had reigned thirteen years and eight days; but as to any narration after what manner he abused his power in the government, "and committed the management of affairs to those vile wretches Nymphidius and Tigellinus, his unworthy freed men: and how he had a plot laid against him by them, and was deserted by all his guards, and ran away with four of his most trusty freed men, and slew himself in the suburbs of Rome; and how those that occasioned his death were in no long time brought themselves to punishment; how also the war in Gall ended; and how Galba was made emperor, and returned out of Spain to Rome; and how he was accused by the soldiers as a pusillanimous person, and slain by treachery in the middle of the market-place at Rome, and Otho was made emperor; with his expedition against the commanders of Vitellius, and his destruction thereupon; and besides what troubles there were under Vitellius, and the fight that was about the capitol; as also how Antonius Primus and Mucianus slew Vitellius, and his German legions, and thereby put an end to that civil war; I have omitted to give an exact account of them, because they are well known by all, and they are described by a great number of Greek and Roman authors: yet for the sake of the connexion of matters, and that my history may not be incoherent, I have just touched upon everything briefly.

Wherefore Vespasian put off at first his expedition against Jerusalem, and stood waiting whither the empire would be transferred after the death of Nero. Moreover, when he heard that Galba was made emperor, he attempted nothing till he also should send him some directions about the war: however, he sent his son Titus to him, to salute him, and to receive his commands about the Jews. Upon the very same errand did king Agrippa sail along with Titus to Galba; but as they were sailing in their long ships by the coasts of Achaia, for it was winter time, they heard that Galba was slain, before they could get to him, after he had reigned seven months and as many days. After whom Otho took the government, and under- took the management of public affairs. So Agrippa resolved to go on to Rome without any terror, on account of the change in the government; but Titus, by a divine impulse, sailed back from Greece to Syria, and came in great haste to Caesarea, to his father. And now they were both in suspense about the public affairs, the Roman empire being then in a fluctuating condition, and did not go on with their expedition against the Jews, but thought that to make any attack upon foreigners was now unseasonable, on account of the solicitude they were in for their own country."

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At this point in his compelling narration, Josephus returns his attention to Jerusalem where we learn that once again there is yet another civil war brewing between the various factions which were in control of the city. In this case, Josephus focuses on Simon of Gioras, who was also known as Bargioras. You may recall that Josephus first introduced us to Simon in part five of this series. At that particular time, Simon -- who was a native of the now-defeated town of Gerasa -- led a large group of seditionists who plundered the toparchy of Acrabbenne. But as we learned earlier, when the high priest Ananus and the rulers sent an army after him, Simon fled to Masada where he joined the robbers there and helped them to plunder the surrounding area of Idumea.

In part eight of this series, we next learned in Chapter 12 of Publius Cornelius Tacitus' "Histories" that as a result of the Roman conquest of much of Israel, Simon, along with many other of the robbers and seditionists, were finally forced to flee to Jerusalem, where he became the ruthless leader of one of the three factions which controlled the city. For his part, we were informed that Simon held the outer and larger circuit of walls. It is at this point that we now return to Book 4 Chapter 9 of Josephus' "The Wars of the Jews".

Now the reason why this particular section is important to this story, is because Josephus proceeds to inform us of exactly what happened after Simon of Gioras had joined the robbers at Masada. This was BEFORE he ended up in the city of Jerusalem. While we already know that he assisted the Sicarii robbers in plundering the area around Masada, as it turns out, Simon had much greater plans than that. However, when he realized that the Sicarii at Masada had no interest in expanding their sphere of operation, he decided to forge ahead on his own, and so created his own army of thugs and robbers. Thus, Josephus writes in the following manner:

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"And now, there arose another war in Jerusalem. There was a son of Gioras, one Simon, by birth of Gerasa, a young man, not so cunning indeed as John [of Gischala] who had already seized upon the city, but superior in strength of body and courage; on which account, when he had been driven away from that Acrabattene toparchy, which he once had, by Ananus the high priest, he came to those ROBBERS who had seized upon Masada. At the first they suspected him, and only permitted him to come with the woman he brought with him, into the lower part of the fortress, while they dwelt in the upper part of it themselves. However, his manner so well agreed with theirs, and he seemed so trusty a man, that he went out with them, and ravaged and destroyed the country with them about Masada; yet when he persuaded them to undertake greater things, he could not prevail with them so to do; for as they were accustomed to dwell in that citadel, they were afraid of going far from that which was their hiding-place; but he affecting to tyrannize, and being fond of greatness, when he had heard of the death of Ananus, he left them, and went into the mountainous part of the country. So he proclaimed liberty to those in slavery, and a reward to those already free, and got together a set of wicked men from all quarters."

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In the following paragraphs, Josephus describes in detail how Simon grew in both power and influence thanks in large part to the formidable army he had created. In fact, Simon was so strong, that not only did he overrun the cities in both the mountainous areas and the plains, but he was able to also retake the toparchy of Acrabattene -- located in southern Judea -- and extend his control down in Idumea. But as Josephus informs us, all of this was a part of his plan to eventually make an assault on Jerusalem itself. Thus, we read as follows in Book 4 Chapter 9 of "The Wars of the Jews":

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"And as he [Simon of Gioras] had now a strong body of men about him, he over-ran the villages that lay in the mountainous country, and when there were still more and more that came to him, he ventured to go down into the lower parts of the country, and since he was now become formidable to the cities many of the men of power were corrupted by him; so that his army was no longer composed of slaves and robbers, but a great many of the populace were obedient to him as to their king. He then over-ran the Acrabattene toparchy, and the places that reached as far as the Great Idumea; for he built a wall at a certain village called Nain, and made use of that as a fortress for his own party's security; and at the valley called Paran, he enlarged many of the caves, and many others he found ready for his purpose; these he made use of as repositories for his treasures, and receptacles for his prey, and therein he laid up the fruits that he had got by rapine; and many of his partizans had their dwelling in them, and he made no secret of it that he was exercising his men before-hand, and making preparations for the assault of Jerusalem."

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As a result of Simon's growing power and influence, Josephus writes that even the Zealots in Jerusalem began to be afraid of him. However, rather than wait for Simon to come to them, they chose to go out and meet him in battle. Being as Simon now had a great army of twenty thousand men, it did not go well for the Jerusalemites, and they were eventually forced back into the city after suffering heavy losses at the hands of Simon and his army. As for his part, rather than chance attacking the city at that time, Simon decided to expand his gains in the region of Idumaea instead.

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

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