For many months the contest and rivalry between John and Josephus continued, and greatly interrupted the defence of the country; and time and money were wasted in mutual endeavours to gain over the chiefs of Jerusalem to espouse the cause of each party. In the metropolis, the preparations for war and defence were carried on with zeal and energy, and the streets and public places echoed with the clash of arms and the tramp of the soldiers marching to exercise. The prudent and the timid trembled at the prospect of the miseries and desolation to which they foresaw their glorious city and luxuriant fields might be ere long devoted; but the fear in which the peaceable inhabitants were held by the zealots the fanatics, and the assassins, who ruled in the city, silenced every murmur, and checked every sigh for the re-establishment of the dominion of the Romans. By the command of Ananus, the high-priest, the walls were repaired and strengthened, arms and military engines were manufactured, and provisions and other necessary articles were collected, and stored up in abundance, to be ready in case of a siege. It was not only from the timid and disaffected in the city that Ananus experienced coldness, and had to contend; his power was opposed without the walls by Simon, the son of Gioras, who, at the head of a lawless band of ruffians, overran and pillaged the toparchy of Acrabatene, breaking open the dwellings of the rich, and ill-treating all who endeavoured to put a stop to his deeds of violence and cruelty. The high-priest sent forth a body of troops against him; but the fierce Simon escaped their vengeance, and found safety in the town of Masada, from whence he made incursions into Idumæa. Thus were the affairs of Judea and Galilee situated when the spring of the year 67 commenced; and Vespasian with his mighty forces appeared at Antioch, and was joined by King Agrippa and his army. On his march toward Ptolemais he was met by an embassy from Sepphoris, with overtures of submission, which, in spite of the opposition of the governor of Galilee, the inhabitants of the capital persisted in making to the invaders; and Vespasian sent them back with a strong reinforcement of troops, under the command of Placidus, to protect the town from the vengeance of the rebel Jews. Josephus made an ineffectual effort to regain possession of the capital; but the attempt only provoked the Romans to greater cruelty, and thousands of the inhabitants of the adjacent country were destroyed by fire and sword, or carried away as captives. At Ptolemais, Titus joined his father with the troops from Alexandria, and the whole army of Vespasian now amounted to 60,000, including cavalry, besides the mixed multitude that followed the camp, many of whom were employed when occasion required.