CHAPTER XXXVI. AT ROME SET ON FIRE BY NERO-DISTURBANCES 872. In the year A. D. 65, the city of Rome was burnt; set on fire by Nero himself, as all believed, but laid to the charge of the hated and persecuted Christians; who were subjected to the most horrid cruelties, and torturing deaths, as if they had indeed been the perpetrators of this enermous crime. 873. A. D. 66, disturbances took place at Cesarea in consequence of an imperial edict, which gave to the Syrian and Greek inhabitants of the place, a rank above the Jewish citizens. The spirit of hostility between the parties began to grow hot. Occasions of dispute were not wanting. A Greek, in building his house, nearly closed the entrance into the Jewish Synagogue; and on the Sabbath, to insult the Jewish worship, began to sacrifice birds on an earthen vessel, near the door of the Synagogue. The parties became exceedingly exasperated against each other, and were just ready to break out into acts of hostility. The master of horse came forward to quell the tumult; but was driven back by the Greeks. The Jews now carried away their sacred books from the Synagogue, and made their complaint to the procurator, who was then at Sebaste; but Florus put the embassy, consisting of twelve distinguished men, in prison; alleging, as a reason, the removal of their sacred books from Cesarea. 874. It seems evidently to have been the wish of Florus to excite insurrection, by goading the Jews to desperation. He demanded a large sum of money to be paid to him out of the treasury, at Jerusalem, and when this produced a tumult, and called forth bitter. reproaches against the rapacity of the procurator, he came in person, accompanied by a body of soldiers, horse and foot. The people came out to receive him with the usual marks of external respect; but he drove them back. 875. He now demanded, that all who had joined in the tumult and reproaches against him, should be given up, and would hear no apology, but gave orders. to his soldiers to plunder the upper market. In the execution of these orders, they were guilty of great disorders, and some massacres. Peaceable citizens were dragged before Florus, and among the rest, some of the chiefs of the Publicans, who held the rank of Roman knights, and who, after being scourged, were crucified. 876. The next day, Florus ordered the Jews to go out of the city and meet with the usual shout of joy and respect, two cohorts of solders, who had been ordered from Cesarea; but he sent secret orders to these soldiers to receive them with insult; and if they showed any dissatisfaction, to fall upon them. The result was, that many were wounded, and others crushed to death, in the crowd. 877. His next attempt was to press into the temple with his soldiers, but the Jews offered so determined a resistance, that the Romans were repulsed, and forced to take refuge in the castle. The Jews, now, the more effectually to prevent the Romans from entering into the temple, broke down the covered way which led from the castle Antonia, to the temple. 878. Florus, after these commotions, returned to Cesarea; leaving only one company of soldiers at Jerusalem. But he sent an account of these disturbances to Cestius Gallus; and the principal Jews with Berenice, forwarded their account, in which they complained grievously of the unreasonable and cruel conduct of the procurator. 879. Cestius, while he ordered an army to be in readiness, sent a confidential messenger to see what the existing state of affairs was. This man met Agrippa, on his return from Egypt, at Jamnia, and both together went to Jerusalem, where they were met by the people with loud complaints against Florus. But they re ceived Agrippa with joy, and treated the message of Gallus with respect. Nay; when Agrippa, in an oration, urged them to obedience, they promised acquiescence, and paid up their arrears of taxes to the Romans, and built up the portico which they had recently demolished. But, afterwards, when Agrippa exhorted them to remain obedient to Florus, until another should be sent, they were so enraged, that they drove him with stones, out of the city. 880. Eleazar the son of the high priest Ananus, being now the president of the temple, rashly persuaded the priests to reject all sacrifices, which came from Pagans; so that the sacrifices offered by the emperor, were henceforth discontinued. The orderly part of the inhabitants now sent to Florus and Agrippa, for a body of soldiers, to preserve order. The former gave them no answer, but Agrippa, who now resided at Cesarea, sent them a force of three thousand horse. With these, the party in favor of obedience, took possession of the upper city, while the temple and lower town remained under the power of the factions. These men were actuated by an insane and fiery zeal, and would not so much as suffer the other party to enter the temple, for worship. Skirmishes daily took place between them; and the revolters, aided by the Sicarii, actually broke into the upper city, and set fire to the palace of king Agrippa; and the next day made an attack on the castle of Antonia, which they took, and put the Roman garrison to the sword. 881. The strong fortress of Masada had been, some time before this, surprized by a band of robbers, and the Roman garrison put to the sword. At this time, many Jews of distinction had fled for refuge to the castle of Herod, where they defended themselves brave ly against the revolters. Among these was, Menahem, the son of the notorious Judas of Galilee; who, going to Masada, broke open the armoury, and obtained arms for a set of robbers and desperadoes, with whom, returning to the castle at Jerusalem, he proclaimed himself king; and took the command of its defence. The besieged, at length, begged permission to depart, which was granted to all except the Romans. 882. The next day, Ananus was found dead in the palace; and his brother Hezekiah was also put to death by the robbers. Soon after this, Menahem was slain in the temple, with most of his followers, by Eleazar and his party. 883. During this year, A. D. 66, the whole Jewish nation was in a state of terrible commotion. At Jerusalem, the factious Jews who continued to besiege the Romans in the castle, were guilty of a horrible act of treachery and cruelty; for having promised safety to the besieged, if they would lay down their arms, they, nevertheless, massacred every one of them. 884. On the same day, all the Jewish inhabitants of Cesarea were massacred by the Greeks; and this served as a signal for an insurrection of the two parties, in opposition to each other. In all the cities, where there was a mixed population, there was no safety for any man, but in the strength of his own party. 885. At the same time, the Jews of Alexandria, were attacked, and all, who could not make their escape, were put to death. Fifty thousand Jews, are said to have been slain there, in one day. 886. Cestius Gallus, to quell the spirit of insurrection which had made its appearance in Palestine, marched an army thither, and invaded Galilee, sacked many cities, and slew thousands of Jews. Having apparently |