Jewish History: A Captivating Guide to the Story of the Jews and Major Historical Events by History Captivating

Author:History, Captivating
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9 – The Aftermath of the Fall of Jerusalem

Titus held three days of celebrations after his victory. He recognized the bravery of his soldiers, bestowing trophies and booty on the most favored and brave. Some of the spoils of victory came from the Jewish ruling class, who were deprived of their property on Titus’s orders. Many were enslaved or crucified.

One of Titus’s legions was given authority in Judea, and the others were sent to bolster the control of other regions in the Near East. Titus himself moved to Caesarea to deposit his booty and some select captives whom he held until celebratory games at Caesarea Philippi were arranged. The hapless captive Jews, numbering some two thousand, were thrown into the arena for the pleasure of the audience, who were thrilled to see them devoured by wild animals or killed in combat with one another.

Titus continued honoring his victory by holding more games in late October 70 CE in the amphitheater at Caesarea. He then took his victory march on to Beirut, where more captives were murdered in the arena. When Titus went to Antioch, he was greeted by women and children on the road leading up to the city. People in the crowd raised their hands to salute him. Just prior to Titus’s arrival in Antioch, many of the Jewish minority had been massacred or expelled. Upon his arrival, Titus listened to the complaints of the Gentile inhabitants against the remaining Jews. They asked that he execute them all. However, despite their pleas, Titus took no action to either protect the Jews or send them to their deaths. His troops did plunder the riches that had been in the possession of the Jews who had been expelled.

Titus continued his victory march into Egypt. There, he assembled the fittest of his captives, including John of Gischala and Simon bar Giora, and put them aboard a ship for transport to Rome, where they could be exhibited as evidence of the successful suppression of the Jewish revolt.

Titus returned to Rome in May or June of 71 CE. In Rome, he was rewarded with an audience with the resplendent Emperor Vespasian before the Senate. The parade that followed was described by Josephus, who also went to Rome, in some detail. Enormous floats, marching soldiers, and piles of treasure astonished the people of Rome. Among the treasures were a gold table, a seven-branched candlestick, and a book of the laws of the Jews. One of the highlights of the victory parade was the appearance of John of Gischala in chains.

Vespasian and his son Titus were intent on demonstrating their skills in leadership and military might. They erected monuments to their victories in the Near East so their victories could be remembered in perpetuity. Vespasian’s Temple of Peace (71 CE) was situated in the Roman Forum, and it was financed by the booty from Jerusalem and decorated with the spoils of war taken from there. It consisted of a grass courtyard surrounded by colonnades with fountains and pools.

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