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Click on title of any pericope numbered in red to access the original language text.
| 51. | Massacre in the Upper Market |
| 305 | [In 66 CE, the procurator Florus], being insulted by (mockery from Jerusalem's youth), was provoked to let his soldiers ransack the so-called "upper market" (of Jerusalem) and kill those they encountered. So, (the soldiers), whose eagerness to win booty was encouraged by their commander, overran not only the place where they had been sent, but broke into all the houses and slaughtered their occupants. |
| 306 | And there was a flight from the alleys and murder of those who were caught. No kind of plunder was omitted. Many who claimed to be moderates were brought back to Florus. When they had been scourged, he had them crucified. |
| 307 | Now the total number of victims that day---together with women and children, for not even infants were spared---came to about 3,600. |
| 308 | The depth (the procurator) sank to was new even by Roman standards of cruelty. For Florus dared what none had done before: to scourge before the tribunal and nail to a cross men of equestrian rank, who---even if born as Jews---were Roman (citizens) at least in status. |
| --- Josephus, Jewish War 2.305-308 |
| 52. | Sacrifice for Emperor Eliminated |
| 409 | Then [in the summer of 66
CE] a
very bold young man who was then captain of the temple---Eleazar,
son of the high-priest Hananiah---moved that no gift or
sacrifice for any foreigner was to be admitted during the
worship service. And this set the foundation for the war with
Rome. For, on this pretext, even the sacrifice for Caesar [= Nero] was eliminated. |
| --- Josephus, Jewish War 2.409 |
| 53. | Romans crucify Rebels |
| 446 | (In May 70 CE during the siege of Jerusalem the emperor Vespasian's son, Titus) sent part of the cavalry and ordered them to ambush those who came out into the ravines, looking for food... |
| 449 | So they were scourged and crucified, facing the (city's) walls, before being tortured to death by every method... |
| 451 | And in their hatred and anger, the soldiers delighted in nailing each one in a different position. Now, on account of their numbers, they ran out of space for the crosses and crosses for the holes. |
| --- Josephus, Jewish War 5.446-451 |
| 54. | Romans occupy Temple [70 CE] |
| 316 | Now that the rebels had fled the city, and the temple itself and every thing around was burning, the Romans brought their standards into the sacred spot. And, setting them up facing the eastern gate, they sacrificed to them. And with the greatest acclaim they proclaimed Titus emperor. |
| --- Josephus, Jewish War 6.316 |
| 55. | Jewish Assassins in Egypt [73 CE] |
| 409 | But still after this [the fall of Masada in 73 CE], many Jews met death in Egypt around Alexandria. |
| 410 | For those of the "assassin" (sicarii) faction who managed to escape (from Judea) were not satisfied with being safe there. But they again took up their revolutionary activity and sought to persuade many of those who received them to claim freedom and to hold Romans to be no better than themselves and to consider God their only lord. |
| 411 | But when some outstanding Jews there opposed them, they murdered them and kept on provoking the others to revolt. |
| 412 | And, seeing their fanaticism, the leading elders thought it was no longer safe to ignore them. Instead, rallying all the Jews to an assembly, they exposed the madness of the "assassins", revealing them to be responsible for all their troubles... |
| 414 | So they advised the crowd to beware destruction because of these men and to defend themselves by handing them over to the Romans. |
| 415 | They were persuaded by the speakers to realize the magnitude of danger. And falling on the "assassins" with full force they arrested them. |
| 416 | Six hundred were seized immediately; and those who escaped to (upper) Egypt were soon arrested and brought back. |
| --- Josephus, Jewish War 7.409-416 |
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