Section 9 Summary and Analysis

Chapters 21 and 22, describe the horrible siege of Jerusalem that Titus waged despite Josephus' appeal for clear-thinking peace. His appeal was ignored and the final resolution to the Jewish war was the total destruction of Jerusalem for the second time while Rome celebrated. Chapter 21 The Temple Burnt and the City Taken describes a continuous battering ram impact by the Roman soldiers that did not break through because of the large sturdy stone construction. Titus set the gates on fire since his efforts to spare the temple caused his own men more injury and death. The Jews looked on helplessly as a ring of fire engulfed the gates. Titus told his war council he did not want to enter and destroy the sanctuary because the Roman reputation would suffer from destroying works of art. One of the soldiers thoughtlessly threw a firebrand into...