Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE)

Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE)
Part of the First Jewish–Roman War
Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by Francesco Hayez. Oil on canvas, 1867.
Date 14 April – 8 September 70 CE Location Jerusalem, Judaea 31°46′41″N 35°14′9″E / 31.77806°N 35.23583°E / 31.77806; 35.23583 Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Empire	Jews
Commanders and leaders
Titus Julius Alexander	Simon bar Giora  John of Giscala (POW) Eleazar ben Simon †
Strength
50,000	Unknown

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Jerusalem
History Timeline City of David 1000 BCE Second Temple Period 538 BCE–70 CE Aelia Capitolina 130–325 CE Byzantine 325–638 CE Early Muslim 638–1099 Crusader 1099–1187 Late Medieval 1187–1517 Ottoman 1517–1917 British Mandate 1917–1948 Modern period (Jordanian and Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem) 1948-
Sieges Before Common Era 701 BCE 597 BCE 587 BCE 63 BCE 37 BCE Common Era 70 614 637 1099 1187 1244 1834 1917 1948
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The siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE was the decisive event of the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE), a major rebellion against Roman rule in the province of Judaea. Led by Titus, the Roman forces besieged the city, which had become the stronghold of Jewish resistance. After months of conflict, the Romans breached the city's defenses, culminating in the destruction of the Second Temple, the razing of the city, and the mass killing, enslavement and displacement of its inhabitants. The siege marked the effective end of the Jewish revolt and had profound political, religious, and cultural implications for the Jewish people as well as broader historical consequences.

In the winter of 69/70 CE, Titus led a force of approximately 50,000 troops, including four legions and auxiliary forces, into Judaea. By spring, this army encircled Jerusalem, whose population had swelled with Passover pilgrims and refugees from across the province. The city, already weakened by infighting among rival factions led by John of Gischala, Simon bar Giora and Eleazar ben Simon—who had seized control after the collapse of the moderate rebel government—was cut off from supplies, leaving its inhabitants to suffer from starvation and disease. Despite strong resistance from the defenders, the Romans broke through the city's walls, forcing the defenders into the temple precincts.

In the summer month of Av, Roman forces breached the Temple Mount and destroyed the Second Temple—an event commemorated annually in Jewish tradition on the fast day of Tisha B'Av. The Romans ultimately captured the entire city, quelling the remaining resistance and inflicting a heavy toll on the population, with tens of thousands killed, enslaved, or executed. The city was systematically destroyed, leaving only the three towers of the Herodian citadel standing as a symbol of its former grandeur. A year later, the Roman victory was celebrated with a grand triumph in Rome, during which hundreds of captives were paraded alongside the spoils of the temple, including the menorah. Monumental structures, such as the still-standing Arch of Titus, were erected in the city to commemorate the conquest.

The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple marked a major turning point in Jewish history, carrying profound consequences that reshaped Jewish culture, religion, and identity. With the temple's destruction, Jewish worship adapted, giving rise to Rabbinic Judaism, which emphasized prayer, Torah study, and synagogue gatherings in place of the sacrificial rituals once performed in the temple. The fall of Jerusalem also played an important role in the development of early Christianity, as the movement increasingly distanced itself from its Jewish roots. After the war, Legio X Fretensis established a military camp on Jerusalem's ruins. A few decades later, the Romans re-founded Jerusalem as the colony of Aelia Capitolina, dedicating it to Jupiter and extinguishing Jewish hopes for the restoration of the temple. This set the stage for another major Jewish rebellion—the Bar Kokhba revolt.