A conflict that erupted between Roman legions and some Judaeans in late AD 66 had an incalculable impact on Rome's physical appearance and imperial governance; on ancient Jews bereft of their mother-city and temple; and on early Christian fortunes. Historical scholarship and cinema alike tend to see the conflict as the culmination of long Jewish resistance to Roman oppression. In this volume, Steven Mason re-examines the war in all relevant contexts (such as the Parthian dimension, and Judaea's place in Roman Syria) and phases, from the Hasmoneans to the fall of Masada. Mason approaches each topic as a historical investigation, clarifying problems that need to be solved, understanding the available evidence, and considering scenarios that might explain the evidence. The simplest reconstructions make the conflict more humanly intelligible while casting doubt on received knowledge.About Steve Mason:"I'm privileged to be a historian of the ancient eastern Mediterranean world, under Roman rule (ca. 200 BCE to 400 CE). After a BA and MA in McMaster University's Religious Studies department, in early Judaism and Christian origins, I continued to a PhD from St Michael's Toronto, with a year each in Jerusalem (Hebrew U) and Tübingen along the way. Three years of the usual job anxiety for humanities PhDs ended with a contract and eventually permanent post at Toronto's York U, in classics-religious studies-humanities, later in the Department of History as a Canada Research Chair in Greco-Roman Cultural Interaction (2003-2011). Then I decided to leave for the UK, home of my second citizenship, then for the Continent, where I've landed at the University of Groningen.
Although I don't object to the label 'Josephus scholar', being happy to be called a scholar (= 'student') of any kind, the majority of my research time for twenty years+ has been among other ancient texts and material evidence (sites, coins, inscriptions, etc.). I hope that my latest book -- A History of the Jewish War, AD 66-74 -- helps to show this approach to the past."
Vespasian was the first emperor from an equestrian family and only rose into the senatorial rank as the first member of his family later in his lifetime. Vespasian's renown came from his military success; he was legate of Legio II Augusta during the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 and subjugated Judaea during the Jewish rebellion of 66.
While Vespasian besieged Jerusalem during the Jewish rebellion, emperor Nero committed suicide and plunged Rome into a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors. After Galba and Otho perished in quick succession, Vitellius became emperor in April 69. The Roman legions of Roman Egypt and Judaea reacted by declaring Vespasian, their commander, the emperor on 1 July 69. In his bid for imperial power, Vespasian joined forces with Mucianus, the governor of Syria, and Primus, a general in Pannonia, leaving his son Titus to command the besieging forces at Jerusalem. Primus and Mucianus led the Flavian forces against Vitellius, while Vespasian took control of Egypt. On 20 December 69, Vitellius was defeated, and the following day Vespasian was declared emperor by the Senate.
Nero was born at Antium in AD 37, the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger.
During Nero's reign, the general Corbulo fought the Roman–Parthian War of 58–63, and made peace with the hostile Parthian Empire. The Roman general Suetonius Paulinus quashed a major revolt in Britain led by the Iceni's queen Boudica. The Bosporan Kingdom was briefly annexed to the empire, and the First Jewish–Roman War began. When the Roman senator Vindex rebelled, with support from the eventual Roman emperor Galba, Nero was declared a public enemy and condemned to death in absentia. He fled Rome, and on 9 June AD 68 he committed suicide. His death sparked a brief period of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors.
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According to Christian teaching, the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was God's judgement on Israel for rejecting their Messiah.
The destruction of the temple was God's sign that the Old Covenant (and its animal sacrifices) had come to an end. We are now in the era of the New Covenant with its perfect sacrifice of the Son of God.