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The Story of the Last Days of Jerusalem and the Fall of Masada: From Josephus
"For those seeking a heroic story, an expression of idealism, self-sacrifice, and resistance against tyranny, the story of the fall of Jerusalem and Masada remain two of history's epic events." - from the new introduction.
A dramatic and engrossing English prose retelling of the story of two pivotal events on Jewish history-the sieges of Jerusalem and Masada during the Roman-Jewish War (66-73 CE)-drawn directly from the Latin original written by the famous historian Flavius Josephus.
Josephus-a Jewish rebel leader captured and "turned" by the Romans, is the only historian to have recorded in detail the events surrounding these two earthshaking events.
The first part, prepared by famous English historian Alfred J. Church, deals with the events leading up to the siege and fall of Jerusalem, and the second part, newly prepared by New York scholar Brian Hirsch, deals with the events immediately afterward, including the siege and fall of Masada.
The Great Jewish Revolt had its origins in protests against Roman taxation. After the Romans responded to the unrest by looting the Temple in Jerusalem, a full-scale uprising broke out, which led to the massacre of both the Roman garrison and a legion dispatched from Syria.
After the Roman-appointed King Herod was forced to flee, a Jewish government was established. Wracked by internal dissension, and facing a mighty foe, the Jewish forces fought desperately to defend their newly-established state-but in vain.
Under the command of Vespasian, then his son Titus, and finally the legate General Silva, Roman forces overcame the Jewish strongholds one by one.
Finally, only two major strongholds Jerusalem, held by the Sadducee Jerusalemites and the Zealots, and the mountaintop fortress of Masada, held by the Sicarii. It took the Romans more than a year to overcome the defenses of Jerusalem and Masada.
Jerusalem was razed to the ground, and its inhabitants massacred. At Masada, the Romans built a mighty ramp up the mountain, only to be greeted by the sight of the mass suicide of the 960 defenders.
Contents Preface by Alfred J Church Preface by Brian Hirsch PART THE FALL OF JERUSALEM Chapter Of the Beginnings of the Jewish War Chapter Of the Doings of Cestius Chapter Of Josephus and the Besieging of Jotapata Chapter Of the Marvellous Escape of Josephus, and of the War in Galilee Chapter Of the Troubles in Jerusalem Chapter Of the First Coming of the Romans Chapter The Beginning of the Siege Chapter Of the Walls of Jerusalem Chapter The Siege Chapter The Siege (Continued) Chapter The Siege (Continued) Chapter The Taking of the City Chapter The End PART THE ROAD TO MASADA Chapter Aftermath of the Fall of Jerusalem Chapter The Siege of Macherus Chapter Concerning the Fortress of Masada Chapter Concerning the Sicarii and their Occupation of Masada Chapter The Romans Lay Siege to Masada Chapter Eleazar's Speech to the Defenders of Masada Chapter The Mass Suicide at Masada Chapter The End of the War
A dramatic and engrossing English prose retelling of the story of two pivotal events on Jewish history-the sieges of Jerusalem and Masada during the Roman-Jewish War (66-73 CE)-drawn directly from the Latin original written by the famous historian Flavius Josephus.
Josephus-a Jewish rebel leader captured and "turned" by the Romans, is the only historian to have recorded in detail the events surrounding these two earthshaking events.
The first part, prepared by famous English historian Alfred J. Church, deals with the events leading up to the siege and fall of Jerusalem, and the second part, newly prepared by New York scholar Brian Hirsch, deals with the events immediately afterward, including the siege and fall of Masada.
The Great Jewish Revolt had its origins in protests against Roman taxation. After the Romans responded to the unrest by looting the Temple in Jerusalem, a full-scale uprising broke out, which led to the massacre of both the Roman garrison and a legion dispatched from Syria.
After the Roman-appointed King Herod was forced to flee, a Jewish government was established. Wracked by internal dissension, and facing a mighty foe, the Jewish forces fought desperately to defend their newly-established state-but in vain.
Under the command of Vespasian, then his son Titus, and finally the legate General Silva, Roman forces overcame the Jewish strongholds one by one.
Finally, only two major strongholds Jerusalem, held by the Sadducee Jerusalemites and the Zealots, and the mountaintop fortress of Masada, held by the Sicarii. It took the Romans more than a year to overcome the defenses of Jerusalem and Masada.
Jerusalem was razed to the ground, and its inhabitants massacred. At Masada, the Romans built a mighty ramp up the mountain, only to be greeted by the sight of the mass suicide of the 960 defenders.
Contents Preface by Alfred J Church Preface by Brian Hirsch PART THE FALL OF JERUSALEM Chapter Of the Beginnings of the Jewish War Chapter Of the Doings of Cestius Chapter Of Josephus and the Besieging of Jotapata Chapter Of the Marvellous Escape of Josephus, and of the War in Galilee Chapter Of the Troubles in Jerusalem Chapter Of the First Coming of the Romans Chapter The Beginning of the Siege Chapter Of the Walls of Jerusalem Chapter The Siege Chapter The Siege (Continued) Chapter The Siege (Continued) Chapter The Taking of the City Chapter The End PART THE ROAD TO MASADA Chapter Aftermath of the Fall of Jerusalem Chapter The Siege of Macherus Chapter Concerning the Fortress of Masada Chapter Concerning the Sicarii and their Occupation of Masada Chapter The Romans Lay Siege to Masada Chapter Eleazar's Speech to the Defenders of Masada Chapter The Mass Suicide at Masada Chapter The End of the War
- GenresHistory
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1881
About the author
Alfred J. Church
381 books14 followersAlfred John Church (1829-1912) was an English classical scholar. He was born in London and was educated at King's College London, and Lincoln College, Oxford, he took holy orders and was an assistant-master at Merchant Taylors' School for many years. From 1880 until 1888 he was professor of Latin at University College, London. While at University College in partnership with William Jackson Brodribb, he translated Tacitus and edited Pliny's Letters (Epistulae). Church also wrote a number of stories in English re-telling of classical tales and legends for young people (Stories from Virgil, Stories from Homer, etc. ). He also wrote much Latin and English verse, and in 1908 published his Memories of Men and Books. Other works include: Stories of the Magicians (1887), The Count of the Saxon Shore; or, The Villa in Vectis (with Ruth Putnam) (1888), Heroes of Chivalry and Romance (1898), Stories of Charlemagne (1902), The Crown of Pine (1906) and With the King at Oxford (1909).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 10, 2013
و كما هو معروف عن التاريخ عموما ، لاتوجد حقيقة مطلقة و إنما هناك الاقرب للصواب و الواقع و ليس الخيال
فالاحداث التاريخية ليست كالاساطير .
فلحل هذه المعضلة يجب قراءة التاريخ من جميع المصادر و ووجهات النظر المختلفة وفي النهاية أنت الذي تميل إلى الرأي الذي تراه أقرب للذي حدث فعلا.
....
كل ما اعرفه أن اليهود طغوا وفسدوا فإستحقوا اللعنة و الدمار على يد الرومان
....
بالنسبة للكتاب فهو "الرواية أوالقصة" ، وحسيت كأني بتفرج على فيلم الخواتم الثلاث
فالاحداث التاريخية ليست كالاساطير .
فلحل هذه المعضلة يجب قراءة التاريخ من جميع المصادر و ووجهات النظر المختلفة وفي النهاية أنت الذي تميل إلى الرأي الذي تراه أقرب للذي حدث فعلا.
....
كل ما اعرفه أن اليهود طغوا وفسدوا فإستحقوا اللعنة و الدمار على يد الرومان
....
بالنسبة للكتاب فهو "الرواية أوالقصة" ، وحسيت كأني بتفرج على فيلم الخواتم الثلاث
December 30, 2012
كتاب يقص الأيام الأخيرة لأورشليم قبل خرابها الثاني عل يد الرومان عام 70م, و هو جزء من تاريخ المؤرخ اليهودي يويسيفوس الذي عاصر هذه الأحداث, و كان صانعاً لبعضها.
الكتاب صدرت ترجمته هذا الشهر (ديسمبر 2012) عن دار الهلال
الكتاب صدرت ترجمته هذا الشهر (ديسمبر 2012) عن دار الهلال
March 26, 2008
I requested a copy of this through interlibrary loan, and ended up with a very fragile copy of the book published in 1880. I was pleasantly suprised to see that the lending library was Wellesley College, my alma mater.
The details of the fall of Jerusalem in this account are many and intricate. A challenging read.
The details of the fall of Jerusalem in this account are many and intricate. A challenging read.
August 11, 2023
THE STORY OF THE LAST DAYS OF JERUSALEM – Alfred Church
I am (he says humbly) fairly well-educated about the history of Israel, and the fall of Jerusalem, but I had never read the contemporary writings of the event. The author makes it clear that he has followed the writings of Josephus – one of the standard sources for information about that age – but that he has also tried to reconcile some of the conflicting elements and smooth out the narrative.
The result is a startling and very detailed look at the destruction of Jerusalem, by both the Romans but equally as the result of the greed and ambition of local groups and individuals within Jewish society. It was, in fact, the desire of the Romans to spare the Temple and make peace with the citizens, but forces inside the city made that increasingly impossible.
It is a gripping story, even as we know how it ended. But how it came about makes for enthralling reading, and the naming of individuals throughout adds a personal touch that is often missing in “histories.” I am grateful to have come across this text, and I suspect I may return to it in the future. The details of the construction of both the defenses and the strategies of the Romans is eye-opening, and I could not but wish that some enterprising movie producer (with a LARGE budget) might use this as the basis for a truly epic film. To actually be able to see the constructions as they existed in the day would add to all our understanding both of the glory of the Temple and the city that surrounded it, and the skill of the Roman forces. I suspect it will never happen, but at least we have the resource of this well-researched and elegantly laid out history.
I am (he says humbly) fairly well-educated about the history of Israel, and the fall of Jerusalem, but I had never read the contemporary writings of the event. The author makes it clear that he has followed the writings of Josephus – one of the standard sources for information about that age – but that he has also tried to reconcile some of the conflicting elements and smooth out the narrative.
The result is a startling and very detailed look at the destruction of Jerusalem, by both the Romans but equally as the result of the greed and ambition of local groups and individuals within Jewish society. It was, in fact, the desire of the Romans to spare the Temple and make peace with the citizens, but forces inside the city made that increasingly impossible.
It is a gripping story, even as we know how it ended. But how it came about makes for enthralling reading, and the naming of individuals throughout adds a personal touch that is often missing in “histories.” I am grateful to have come across this text, and I suspect I may return to it in the future. The details of the construction of both the defenses and the strategies of the Romans is eye-opening, and I could not but wish that some enterprising movie producer (with a LARGE budget) might use this as the basis for a truly epic film. To actually be able to see the constructions as they existed in the day would add to all our understanding both of the glory of the Temple and the city that surrounded it, and the skill of the Roman forces. I suspect it will never happen, but at least we have the resource of this well-researched and elegantly laid out history.
February 12, 2018
علينا أن نقرأ التاريخ من وجهات نظر عدة ولكن الحقيقة لا تموت برغم تعدد الرواة والروايات وعليه فإن هذا الكتاب اختصر ثورة عظمى في مفردات سهلة سلسة وأومأ بإشارات في هامش كل فصل بحيث لو أراد القارئ الاستزادة فيستزيد من أمهات الكتب.. لكن يبقى السؤال القوي هل كانت رواية يوسيفوس صحيحة؟ من كان منهم على حق ويتبع عيسى والإنجيل الحق؟ هل انتصر الخير على الشر فعلاً؟ هل اليهود حينها كانوا سكان أورشليم الأصليين فحازت ثورتهم ضد الرومان شرفًا ورفعة؟ هذه حقبة تاريخية على القارئ في تاريخ القدس عدم إغفالها ووزنها بالميزان الصحيح فقد يحمل معلومات مغلوطة لأنه روي من وجهة نظر واحدة.. كتيب يعطي مفاتيح الأسرار لنبحر بالبحث بأنفسنا عما وراء أسوار أورشليم..
February 27, 2018
تناول الكتاب أحداث تدمير القدس عام 70 م على يد الرومان من خلال أحداث المؤرخ اليهودي الذيي عاصر الأحداث وقتها يوسيفوس
ترجمة متوسطة لكن كثرة حشر الألفاظ الإنجليزية بلا داع ولأي كلمة تقريبا كانت سيئة للغاية
كما أن الهوامش طويلة جدا با داع في معظم المواضع
كما أنه استخدم الهوامش في غير موضعها أحيانا ومواضع أخرى كانت تحتاج لشرح لم يستخدم فيها هوامش !
ترجمة متوسطة لكن كثرة حشر الألفاظ الإنجليزية بلا داع ولأي كلمة تقريبا كانت سيئة للغاية
كما أن الهوامش طويلة جدا با داع في معظم المواضع
كما أنه استخدم الهوامش في غير موضعها أحيانا ومواضع أخرى كانت تحتاج لشرح لم يستخدم فيها هوامش !
October 17, 2025
Read with 7th grade class. The excerpts were a little choppy to track through but was more readable for the class than the full text.
March 18, 2011
This is more like "started and gave up but knew the end" than "read."
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews