The Temple Falls

Josephus

The Jewish War 6.228, 232, 237–266

ca. 75

Titus Decides to Preserve the Temple

Titus, now realizing that his attempt to spare a foreign temple was only causing injury and death to his own men, gave orders for the gates to be fired. [ . . . ]

His troops were now setting fire to the gates. The silver melted off and quickly exposed the woodwork to the flames, which then spread densely and…

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Josephus insists that it is only as a last resort, after all alternatives are exhausted, that Titus orders the gates of the Temple to be burned. He reports that even at a war council, which coincides with the evening before the anniversary of the Babylonian destruction of the First Temple in 587 BCE, Titus announces his intention to preserve the Temple intact. Alas, “God had long since condemned the temple to flames,” and it was out of Titus’ hands. Those Romans who set the Temple aflame do so in their “fury” and “detestation of the Jews.” Titus—we are told—does everything in his power to stop his soldiers and the flames from destroying the Temple.

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Creator Bio

Josephus

37–100

Flavius Josephus was born into a prominent Jewish priestly family and served as a general stationed in the Galilee during the First Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE). He was captured by the Romans and eventually integrated into the Flavian imperial aristocracy, who commissioned him to compose chronicles of the Jewish–Roman war and the history of the Jews. Josephus’ works, all written in Greek, include The Jewish War, Jewish Antiquities, Against Apion, and his autobiography, Life of Josephus. These writings provide important insights into the Judaisms of the Second Temple period and include one of the few surviving accounts of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

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