Famine and Desertion

Josephus

The Jewish War 5.420–427

ca. 75

For all this emotional appeal by Josephus, the insurgents would not budge, and thought it far from safe to change their course. The people, though, took it as a spur to desertion. Some sold their entire property at rock-bottom prices, others just their most valuable treasures, and then, to evade any search by the terrorists, they would swallow the…

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Even before Titus built a siege wall to encircle the city and prevent the movement of people and supplies, the famine within was starving the city’s population. If not for the rebel leaders John and Simon having burned the city’s food stores, the city would have been able to withstand a long siege. Josephus describes the “hell inside the city” even before the siege begins in earnest.

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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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