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Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE) was a key clash of the Jewish war. After a long siege, the Romans captured the city. Titus Flavius showed no mercy and allowed for the murders and plunder of the city.
Background of events
After Nero died by suicide, Galba became the new emperor in June 68. He reigned only half a year – until January 69, CE on January 15, 69, the praetorians made a coup d’état on the orders of the emperor’s friend – Otho and killed Emperor Galba in the Forum. Otho then succeeded the imperial throne on January 15, 69 CE; however, prior to the murder of Galba, troops in Lower Germania chose the local commander, Vitellius, as emperor. With his army in CE 69 he marched on Rome and in April of that year he defeated Otho’s troops. The loser Otho committed suicide, and Vitellius was proclaimed emperor in Rome. Officially, on April 19, 69 CE, the senate made him emperor.
On July 1, Egypt’s governor, Tiberius Alexander, and his legions proclaimed Flavius Vespasian, the legate who suppressed the Jewish uprising, emperor. Two days later, Vespasian was elected emperor by his troops in Caesarea by the seaside. Thus, Josephus’ prophecy came true. Backed by troops in the East and Danubian legions, the Vespasian decided to seize power in Rome, pushing Vitellius aside. To this end, he sent the governor of Syria, Mucianus, with his legions to the Danubian provinces, where he joined the legions of Antony Primus. An army of supporters of Vespasian marched on Rome and defeated Emperor Vitellius in the first half of December at the Battle of Bedriakum. Vespasian became the lord of the Roman Empire. In mid-70 CE, Vespasian came to Rome. He appointed his son, Titus, the commander-in-chief of the Judean army.
The chief advisers of Titus have been joined by the Prefect of Egypt, Tiberius Alexander, a Jew who abandoned his religion to become a Roman, and Josephus Flavius. The campaign began in Caesarea, where Titus’ legions were to assemble.
Jerusalem expedition
The XII legion Fulminat has also joined the previous 3 legions taking part in the campaign against the insurgents. Titus arrived at Jerusalem a few days before Passover. Legions: V, XII, XV set up a camp, according to sources, at Mount Skopos, where the line of the Jerusalem wall turns from the north to the west, and the X legion set up a camp on the Mount of Olives. It was the first camp of Titus’ army. Titus placed his own camp in front of the Psefinus tower, and the rest of his troops fenced in front of the Hippikus tower in order to defend the rest of the camps against insurgent attacks.
During the Roman attack on Jerusalem, the parties of the Jewish insurgents concluded an agreement. They realized that the ununited had no chance of repelling the invader. The Romans began preparing for the siege by building ramparts in front of the city walls. Seeing this, the insurgents decided to foray the legionaries of the 10th Legion, who were erecting siege fortifications. Only the passage of Titus with selected troops saved them from destroying the entire defenceless legion occupied with work. The fault of the staff of the 10th legion and the legionaries themselves in this situation was very serious. Of the lack of protection of the builders, panic and escape from the skirmish field, the punishments were usually very severe, but this time Titus decided not to apply any punishment. After this event, it was decided to change the layout of the camps of individual legions. The 12th and 15th Legions reinforced the troops that occupied the lands opposite the Psefinus, Fazael and Hippikus towers.
Repeated preparations for the siege began with levelling the ground and resuming work on the embankments on which the throwing machines were to be placed. All possible food sources around the city were destroyed, incl. orchards and farmland, and wood were used to build war machines. The insurgents from time to time conducted raids to interfere with the preparations, but usually, their losses in people were more serious than the losses of the Romans.