DATE |
ROME |
JUDEA |
|
68-69
70 |
Vitellius is still in Gaul when Otho dies. He marches to
Rome with a large army whose ruthless conduct against the friendly
populace alienates the citizens from Vitellius. He also humiliates
soldiers who had fought for Otho, alienating many army units as well.
Vitellius reigns only from April 17 to December 21 of 69. He is the son of
the Vitellius, legate of Syria at the time Stephen was killed, Acts 7. He
had been Nero's master of ceremonies and was famous for his sumptuous
banquets. He is a heavy set gourmand who made every meal a banquet and is
more interested in eating than running the empire. He leaves running the
empire to one of his freedmen. While Vitellius and his soldiers enjoy
themselves in Rome, Provincial governors and legions are looking for
someone else to take his place. They settle on Vespasian. Vespasian sends
his most trusted general, Antonius, to dethrone Vitellius. In October 69,
Antonius defeats the troops of Vitellius at Cremona. Vespasian's brother,
Sabinus, prefect of Rome, is executed by Vitellius just before Antonius
arrives with his army. Vitellius is dragged from hiding, led half naked
through the city with a noose around his neck, slowly tortured, killed,
and his body then dragged through the streets with a hook and thrown into
the Tiber.
Vespasian is 60 years old when the Senate confers the Principate on him in December of 69. The government of Rome, its treasury and the justice system are bankrupt. In the hard working ten years of his office, Vespasian restores peace, order and prosperity. He tolerates free speech to a fault. He accepts rude criticism to his face, and that publicly. He has a sense of humor and can often be heard telling jokes to others. Even at the end, as he feels death coming on, he jokingly remarks, "Woe is me. I think I am turning into a god." His last words are, as he asks others to help him to his feet, "An emperor ought to die standing." He then collapses and dies at 69 years of age. He was a just, capable and conscientious ruler, traits that were found in his son, Titus, but not his younger son, Domition.
|
Vespasian and his troops are furious
at the news that Vitellius had turned Rome into a camp for his troops,
allowing them to mistreat the citizens of Rome. Vespasian's legions
proclaim him Emperor, and are soon joined in that by other commanders and
their legions. Vespasian seizes Egypt, the granary of the empire. He then
sends several legions to wrest control of the empire from Vitellius. He
remains in Egypt to control the grain supply and prepare for an invasion
of southern Italy. After receiving word that Vitellius is dead, and that
the Senate, with the Roman people, has acclaimed him emperor, Vespasian
rules the empire from Alexandria until the summer of 70.
29 year old Titus takes command of the army from his father. Titus is handsome, a capable commander, brave in battle, strong in discipline for himself and others. He is fluent in both Latin and Greek and an able musician and poet. Though brought up in war, he hates death and is kind and sympathetic to the suffering. It is reported that he weeps when he sees the heaps of bodies dumped over the walls by the Jews. He tries to win his objectives with as little loss of life as possible. Tltus marches from Alexandria in the spring of 70 with elite troops to attack Jerusalem. Taking the coastal route he arrives at the Roman encampment at Caesarea, where he makes his final plans. He attacks Jerusalem in April. However, the Jews fight more doggedly than expected. Though Titus wants to save as much of the city as possible, trying to be conciliatory, the Jews will not give an inch. He feels forced to wage total war. He strips the land around Jerusalem for eight miles, making it look like a wasteland, using the wood for his battleworks and a wall around the city. Breaking through the first of the three walls of Jerusalem, on the north, Titus finally takes and burns the temple on the tenth of August. (Herod's temple had been completed just before the war). A month later, he takes the upper city. It takes two more years for Roman legions to subdue the last group of Jewish rebels at Masada. The very observance of the Old Law has ceased forever. Prophecy is now fulfilled; what the Old Testament, Jesus and the apostles said would happen, comes to pass in clear detail. |