Expert: Maria - 8/2/2006

Question
I'm looking for information on the Roman attack on Jerusalem in 66 C.E. Any sources you could suggest or whatever would be greatly helpfull. Thanks!!

Answer
Hello,

The Roman attack on Jerusalem in 66 AD happened during the the first Jewish-Roman War (66–73 AD), i.e.the first of three main rebellions by the Jews of Iudaea Province against the Roman Empire.
The siege of Jerusalem ended in the summer of 70 AD, when Titus Flavius, emperor Vespasian's son, led the final assault and  the Romans breached the walls of the city and then  ransacked and burnt nearly the entire city. The Temple was destroyed and much of the population was killed or dispersed, so that  the diaspora ( Greek term meaning ‘a scattering of seeds) began, i.e the historical movement of the dispersed population of Israel.

As for primary sources you can see:

- Flavius Josephus (Jewish historian, c. 37 – c. 100) who wrote "The Wars of the Jews"  and "Jewish Antiquities"

-Tacitus (Roman historian , c. 56 – c. 117), author of "The Histories" where he tells of the siege of Jerusalem.

As for web sites on this matter, you can see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Jewish-Roman_War
http://www.livius.org/ja-jn/jewish_wars/jwar03.html
http://www.jerusalem-archives.org/period1/1-19.html

Hope this helps.
Best,
Maria