The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of JerusalemJosephus, Flavius
Religion
The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Josephus, Flavius
Jews -- History
2. Now as Vespasian was returned to Cesarea, and was getting ready with
all his army to march directly to Jerusalem, he was informed that Nero
was dead, after he had reigned thirteen years and eight days. But as to
any narration after what manner he abused his power in the government,
and committed the management of affairs to those vile wretches,
Nymphidius and Tigellinus, his unworthy freed-men; and how he had a plot
laid against him by them, and was deserted by all his guards, and ran
away with four of his most trusty freed-men, and slew himself in the
suburbs of Rome; and how those that occasioned his death were in no long
time brought themselves to punishment; how also the war in Gall ended;
and how Galba was made emperor 16 and returned out of Spain to Rome; and
how he was accused by the soldiers as a pusillanimous person, and slain
by treachery in the middle of the market-place at Rome, and Otho was
made emperor; with his expedition against the commanders of Vitellius,
and his destruction thereupon; and besides what troubles there were
under Vitellius, and the fight that was about the capitol; as also how
Antonius Primus and Mucianus slew Vitellius, and his German legions, and
thereby put an end to that civil war; I have omitted to give an exact
account of them, because they are well known by all, and they are
described by a great number of Greek and Roman authors; yet for the sake
of the connexion of matters, and that my history may not be incoherent,
I have just touched upon every thing briefly. Wherefore Vespasian put
off at first his expedition against Jerusalem, and stood waiting whither
the empire would be transferred after the death of Nero. Moreover, when
he heard that Galba was made emperor, he attempted nothing till he also
should send him some directions about the war: however, he sent his son
Titus to him, to salute him, and to receive his commands about the Jews.
Upon the very same errand did king Agrippa sail along with Titus to
Galba; but as they were sailing in their long ships by the coasts of
Achaia, for it was winter time, they heard that Galba was slain, before
they could get to him, after he had reigned seven months and as many
days. After whom Otho took the government, and undertook the management
of public affairs. So Agrippa resolved to go on to Rome without any
terror; on account of the change in the government; but Titus, by a
Divine impulse, sailed back from Greece to Syria, and came in great
haste to Cesarea, to his father. And now they were both in suspense
about the public affairs, the Roman empire being then in a fluctuating
condition, and did not go on with their expedition against the Jews, but
thought that to make any attack upon foreigners was now unseasonable, on
account of the solicitude they were in for their own country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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