Titus Besieges Jerusalem

Josephus recounts the deliberations of Titus’ war council and the calculus of his decision to build a siege wall around Jerusalem. “Speed was of the essence,” in order for Vespasian to proclaim victory over Judaea when he arrived in Rome in the fall of 70 CE. Titus determines that building a wall around the city to prevent any supplies or people from entering or leaving is the correct combination of “speed and safety,” and a wall encircling the entire city is built in just three days. As one would expect, the famine worsens, dashing any remaining Jewish hopes for survival. Josephus describes the extent of pervasive death in the city, such that the dead cannot be buried and the corpses thrown over the wall begin to fill the ravines outside the city. In his presentation of Titus as pious, Josephus recounts that upon seeing “the ravines clogged with corpses,” Titus calls up to God and proclaims “that this was not his doing.” Once again, Josephus’ villains are the rebel insurgents holding the Jerusalemites hostage within the city, whereas Titus is presented as their savior.