Dr. Guy Maclean Rogers

And so instead of pursuing a risky siege of Jerusalem, Vespasian decided to kind of hold off and eventually make his way to Rome. And he delegated finishing the Judean War to his son Titus. So it was left to Titus in the second half of 69 and then the beginning of 70 to go to Jerusalem and to conduct that scene.

Right, so in a sense, this was kind of a replay of what had happened earlier in the war when the governor, Kestis Gallas, came down to try to intimidate the Jews into quitting. The difference was that Titus knew that this was a siege operation, which was going to require siege equipment, and also, even more importantly,

Right, so in a sense, this was kind of a replay of what had happened earlier in the war when the governor, Kestis Gallas, came down to try to intimidate the Jews into quitting. The difference was that Titus knew that this was a siege operation, which was going to require siege equipment, and also, even more importantly,

Right, so in a sense, this was kind of a replay of what had happened earlier in the war when the governor, Kestis Gallas, came down to try to intimidate the Jews into quitting. The difference was that Titus knew that this was a siege operation, which was going to require siege equipment, and also, even more importantly,

planning for supply for logistics because he had to feed the Roman army there over months. He knew that to be the case. So the Romans had to break through the three sets of walls and It turned out to be an incredibly difficult task. And nowhere in Josephus's multiple accounts of this does he give us Roman casualty figures.

planning for supply for logistics because he had to feed the Roman army there over months. He knew that to be the case. So the Romans had to break through the three sets of walls and It turned out to be an incredibly difficult task. And nowhere in Josephus's multiple accounts of this does he give us Roman casualty figures.

planning for supply for logistics because he had to feed the Roman army there over months. He knew that to be the case. So the Romans had to break through the three sets of walls and It turned out to be an incredibly difficult task. And nowhere in Josephus's multiple accounts of this does he give us Roman casualty figures.

And I've always suspected that the reason for that was that they were quite high. Interestingly, descriptions of the combat, it often turns out to be the case that the rebels kind of outfight the Romans. But the Romans did what the Romans always did, which was to use their superior organization and their technical abilities.

And I've always suspected that the reason for that was that they were quite high. Interestingly, descriptions of the combat, it often turns out to be the case that the rebels kind of outfight the Romans. But the Romans did what the Romans always did, which was to use their superior organization and their technical abilities.

And I've always suspected that the reason for that was that they were quite high. Interestingly, descriptions of the combat, it often turns out to be the case that the rebels kind of outfight the Romans. But the Romans did what the Romans always did, which was to use their superior organization and their technical abilities.

The siege machinery to kind of batter their way through the walls, clear the defenders from them, establish camps, and then move on. Eventually, it became kind of a numbers game and then a supply game within the city itself. And essentially, the defenders were running out of food. Unfortunately, from the point of view of the rebels, in some sense, the siege and conquest of Jerusalem

The siege machinery to kind of batter their way through the walls, clear the defenders from them, establish camps, and then move on. Eventually, it became kind of a numbers game and then a supply game within the city itself. And essentially, the defenders were running out of food. Unfortunately, from the point of view of the rebels, in some sense, the siege and conquest of Jerusalem

The siege machinery to kind of batter their way through the walls, clear the defenders from them, establish camps, and then move on. Eventually, it became kind of a numbers game and then a supply game within the city itself. And essentially, the defenders were running out of food. Unfortunately, from the point of view of the rebels, in some sense, the siege and conquest of Jerusalem

and the destruction of the temple by the end of August was kind of the denouement or the inevitable outcome of the strategy which the rebels had adopted from the very beginning of the war, which was knowing that the Romans were coming to sort of back themselves into strongly defended places.

and the destruction of the temple by the end of August was kind of the denouement or the inevitable outcome of the strategy which the rebels had adopted from the very beginning of the war, which was knowing that the Romans were coming to sort of back themselves into strongly defended places.

and the destruction of the temple by the end of August was kind of the denouement or the inevitable outcome of the strategy which the rebels had adopted from the very beginning of the war, which was knowing that the Romans were coming to sort of back themselves into strongly defended places.

In my book, I argue, easy for me to say, and I say this humbly, easy for me to say, but I think that that was probably not a wise strategy because it kind of guaranteed that they would draw the Romans to these fortified places. And the most fortified place, of course, was Jerusalem.

In my book, I argue, easy for me to say, and I say this humbly, easy for me to say, but I think that that was probably not a wise strategy because it kind of guaranteed that they would draw the Romans to these fortified places. And the most fortified place, of course, was Jerusalem.

In my book, I argue, easy for me to say, and I say this humbly, easy for me to say, but I think that that was probably not a wise strategy because it kind of guaranteed that they would draw the Romans to these fortified places. And the most fortified place, of course, was Jerusalem.

So in the end, it wasn't an accident that the war ended with the siege and then the burning down of the temple itself at the end of August.