29

Titus was enjoying a breakfast of cold cuts when a box of mail arrived. The document that caught his eye and was fished out first, bore his father’s seal. Gesturing to his steward to replenish his goblet, he broke the crimson wax with the tip of his dagger and settled back to read what would turn out to be the most momentous letter he would ever receive in his life.

Hail Flavius Titus Vespasianous

From your father Flavius Vespasianous Augustus

My dear Son

News of your preparations for the final assault on Jerusalem is most welcome, and we look forward to your complete victory. The events of the last year in Rome have been the most significant in the history of the Empire. An account of which we desire to be accurately recorded in the history of the Empire, particularly those events which are interwoven with the war of Jews, which we have waged for five long years at great cost.

The vacuum caused by Nero’s death caused in a power struggle that could have resulted in a devastating civil war. A war that may well have brought the empire to an end. With the throne empty and no natural successor, Servius Galba declared himself emperor. Within three months he was dead - assassinated by Salvius Otho who committed suicide when challenged by Aulus Vitellius.

When Primus and Mucianus’ legions entered the city he tried to hide on a building site dressed as a common workman. Discovered, he was taken to the very spot in the forum where Galba had been assassinated. Declared an enemy of the people, he was executed.

Fortunately our prisoner, the Jewish scholar Josephus, is writing an eye witness account of the war and will be able to record these events. When it and the war are finally concluded, it is my intention to place a copy in every library in the Empire.

From your earlier reports I know you have come to value Josephus’ assistance and have noted your recommendations with regard to a reward for his loyalty. You may, of course, furnish him with anything that is within your gift as Caesar of our forces in Judaea. You may also confer on him, in my name Roman citizenship and a gift of land in Judaea. In addition, when he comes to Rome he will have a pension and our old house in Rome to live in.

The senate has agreed that, when you have won the final victory, we will share a Triumph together. Nothing in this world will give me more pleasure and pride.

I salute you

Your father

Vespasianous Agustus.

Rome

After ordering three legions to their quarters in Caesarea and Scythopolis, Titus rode up to the strong hold of Gischala with a thousand picked horsemen. He was tired of bloodshed and knew from his spies that the majority of Gischala’s population, peasant farmers, only wanted to live in peace. But John had no intention of being captured by the Romans. He treacherously pretended to be ready to agree terms but said that, as it was the Sabbath, he would need to postpone the formalities until the morrow. Titus, as a sign of his own good faith, withdrew to Cadesh Napthaly.

When night fell, John, surrounded by a mob of unarmed men, women and children, whom he later abandoned, made off in the direction of Jerusalem. As a consequence, six thousands of John’s wretched dupes were slaughtered and the women and children brought back, whereupon a weary Gischala opened its gates to Titus. The whole of Galilee was now at peace – a peace bought by the death of hundreds of thousands of ordinary Jews who had no say in the politics of revolution.

As soon as he arrived in Jerusalem, John strutted about declaring himself to be a patriot. Older people, who had heard it all before, knew him for what he was - an unscrupulous, calculating egoist who had already been defeated by the Romans. But the city’s impressionable and disaffected youth, fired by the dream of home rule, flocked to his support. The Holy City was soon severely divided, its population split by implacable factions, its streets divided by sectarianism into ‘no go’ areas.

Things were made worse by the demands of a long standing tradition that the city gates must stand open to any child of Israel who wished to enter. Outlaws, bandits, war lords, anarchists, terrorists and nationalists from all over the country converged on this sanctuary. In the confusion of the infighting there were no sentries posted on the walls. The opportunists and carpet baggers found it easy to infiltrate the pilgrims fleeing to the city for protection.

To strengthen their position the rebels decided they wanted to replace the Temple priests with their own men. They decided to activate a most obscure pontifical law, that of Eniahan, which allowed them to carry out a travesty of an ancient custom, which was to cast lots as to who should be High Priest of all Israel. The lot fell to a village stonemason, Anius Ben Samuel. He was carted off to the city, dressed in the sacred vestments and taught by rote the sacerdotal functions - of which of course he knew nothing.

The group which had carried out this blasphemous act were of course Simon’s zealots, who then installed themselves in the Temple.