Chapter 14 

The Fall of Jerusalem 

Josephus, Eyewitness Account 

    Josephus was one of the leaders of the Jews in the revolt against the Romans. He was eventually captured 

by the Romans and put in prison. When he was captured, he met Vespasian, the Roman general in charge of 

the war against the Jews. At that time, Josephus predicted that Vespasian would become emperor. Dio 

describes a number of portents which foreshadowed the rise of Vespasian to power.  These portents needed 

interpretation; but not so the saying of a Jew named Josephus: he, having earlier been captured by Vespasian 

and imprisoned, laughed and said: `You may imprison me now, but a year from now, when you have become 

emperor, you will release me.'  

1027

 Josephus himself gives an account of this prediction (but he does not 

mention a one year  time frame).

1028

 When Vespasian became emperor, he remembered the prediction of 

Josephus and had him released.

1029

 Josephus became a Roman citizen and for the rest of his life had the favor 

of the emperor Vespasian, as well as his sons Titus and Domitian (subsequent emperors of Rome). 

    Josephus was an eyewitness to the war between the Jews and the Romans, the war which ended with the 

destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. Josephus even went to Jerusalem, to speak to the Jews on 

behalf of the Romans, during the siege, after he had been released from prison. His eyewitness account 

provides strong evidence, which cannot be ignored in any chronology of the fall of Jerusalem. 

The Timeline of Events 

    Most of what Josephus tells us about this war is found in his work The Wars of the Jews. A few comments are 

found at the end of his work, The Antiquities of the Jews. The war began in Nero's 12th year, which was the 

second year of the reign of Florus over Judea.  Now this war began in the second year of the government of 

Florus, and the twelfth year of the reign of Nero. 

1030

 In his work  The Wars of the Jews, Josephus give a more 

precise account of the start of this war. He places the start of the war in the spring of Nero's 12th year:   at 

the same time began the war, in the twelfth year of the reign of Nero in the month of Artemissus [Iyar]. 

1031

In this revised chronology, the 12th year of Nero was the year 

A.D.

 51. 

    Josephus then details a number of events in this conflict, often citing the month, or month and day, when an 

event occurred. He mentions the  month of Lous [Ab]

1032

 (in the summer), the subsequent month of Gorpieus 

[Elul],

1033

 and the Feast of Tabernacles during the month of Hyperbereteus [Tishri]

1034

 (in the fall). These 

months must be contained within the 12th year of Nero's reign, for he mentions a subsequent event, a battle, 

which happened  on the eighth day of the month of Dius [Marhesvan], in the twelfth year of the reign of 

Nero. 

1035

 The month of Marhesvan (or Heshvan) is in the late fall. 

    Josephus then describes his own actions in preparing the Jews of Galilee for an all out war with the 

Romans.

1036

 These lengthy preparations must have occurred during the winter of Nero's 12th to 13th years, 

A.D.

 51/52. Spring is the time when kings go to war, so winter is the time when they prepare for war. Book 2 

of The Wars of the Jews ends with these preparations for war. Book 3 begins with Nero sending Vespasian to 

fight the war against the Jews, which therefore occurred in the spring of Nero's 13th year, 

A.D.

 52. As the 

events of Book 3 progress, Josephus mentions the month of Artemisius [Iyar],

1037

 and the month of Desius 

[Sivan].

1038

 These dates are followed by the date for the capture of the city of Jotapata,  in the thirteenth year 

of the reign of Nero, on the first day of the month of Panemus [Tamuz]. 

1039

 Thus Jotapata fell in the summer 

of 

A.D.

 52. Book 3 then ends with the mention of the month of Gorpiaeus [Elul].

1040

 Thus Book 3 ends in the 

late summer of Nero's 13th year, 

A.D.

 52. 

    Book 4 states in its title,  CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE YEAR. 

1041

 Yet the 

timeline contained therein is clearly more than two years. Book 3 ends in late summer of 

A.D.

 52, so Book 4 

must begin in the fall of 

A.D.

 52. Book 4 contains the death of Nero

1042

 (June 

A.D.

 53), the death of Galba 

seven months later

1043

 (Jan. 

A.D.

 54), the death of Otho three months later

1044

 (April, 

A.D.

 54), the declaration 

of Vespasian as emperor by his troops, but before he obtained the throne

1045

 (summer 

A.D.

 54), and the 

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