Great Jewish Revolt (66–69) Vespasian

vespasian sestertius, struck in 71 celebrate victory in first jewish-roman war. legend on reverse says: ivdea capta, judaea conquered .

in 66 ad, vespasian appointed suppress jewish revolt underway in judea. fighting there had killed previous governor , routed cestius gallus, governor of syria, when tried restore order. 2 legions, 8 cavalry squadrons , ten auxiliary cohorts, therefore dispatched under command of vespasian while elder son, titus, arrived alexandria another.

during time became patron of flavius josephus, jewish resistance leader captured @ siege of yodfat, later write people s history in greek. ultimately, thousands of jews killed , romans destroyed many towns in re-establishing control on judea; took jerusalem in 70. vespasian remembered josephus, in antiquities of jews, fair , humane official, in contrast notorious herod agrippa ii whom josephus goes great lengths demonize.

while under emperor s patronage, josephus wrote after roman legio x fretensis, accompanied vespasian, destroyed jericho on 21 june 68, vespasian took group of jews not swim (possibly essenes qumran), fettered them, , threw them dead sea test sea s legendary buoyancy. indeed, captives bobbed surface after being thrown in water boats.

josephus (as tacitus), reporting on conclusion of jewish war, reported prophecy around time when jerusalem , temple taken, man own nation, viz. messiah, become governor of habitable earth. josephus, dismissing these things, said governor of habitable earth vespasian conquered it.