The spirit of insurrection had been abroad for several years, and many attempts had been made to throw off the yoke of the Roman power. The success, however, had been very partial, and could ill repay the expenditure of blood and life which had been incurred in the misguided efforts of the Jews to regain their liberty and independence. They had no foreign allies to assist and strengthen them, for all the other Roman dominions were in peace; and even their own countrymen who were settled in distant provinces took but little interest in the struggles of their native land, or were too much occupied in endeavouring to secure their own safety, to have either leisure or power to aid in the revolt of Judea. Even their nominal king Agrippa, had openly declared for the Roman power; and the Jews had no acknowledged or distinguished leader to guide them, and direct their fierce and obstinate, but undisciplined troops. The attempt was therefore wild, and all but hopeless; and yet we cannot read the account of the cruelties and oppressions which were heaped upon this once blessed race by many of the Roman governors, and wonder that they should spend their life-blood in the effort to shake off the galling and ignominious yoke. The tyranny which was practised upon them by Cuspius Fadus, by Felix, by Festus, and more especially by Florus, had galled their proud spirit beyond endurance; and in the year of our Lord 66, they were in open rebellion against their conquerors. The bold defiance of this comparatively weak and insignificant province excited the astonishment and even the alarm of the Emperor Nero, and he immediately dispatched Vespasian, one of his greatest generals, to take the command of Syria, and to use the promptest measures for quelling the revolt, before the example of these daring men should be followed by the surrounding provinces. Vespasian sent his son Titus to Alexandria, to bring from thence the fifth and tenth legions; and set out himself without delay for Syria, collecting by the way all the Roman troops, and the tributary forces from the neighbouring kingdoms.