Jerusalem;

ITS HISTORY FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST,

AND ITS PRESENT CONDITION.

It now becomes our duty to trace, briefly, the prominent circumstances attending the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, in order to complete the sketch which we have commenced.

When Titus advanced against Jerusalem, at the head of 60,000 men-Romans and auxiliaries-multitudes of Jews were collected in the city, from all quarters, to celebrate the feast of the Passover. This circumstance greatly enhanced the subsequent calamities of the siege: as such vast numbers soon consumed the provisions which remained in the city, and speedily produced the most horrible famine that ever history recorded. It was probably in contemplation of such a result, that Titus selected this time for his advance. as he would reasonably calculate that the siege would be shortened, by the besieged being obliged to surrender for want of food. He needed all the hope which might be derived from such a consideration; for the enterprise which he had undertaken was one of no ordinary difficulty. The city itself was strong from its situation; besides which, its fortifications were, for that age, of remarkable strength and recent erection. The ancient walls had been indeed demolished by Pompey; and when Herod Agrippa undertook to repair the foundation and raise the walls, the governor of Syria took alarm, and obtained an order from Rome, prohibiting the continuance of the work. After Herod's death, however, the Jews purchased permission from the venal Claudius to resume the undertaking, and availed themselves of the advantage with such good effect, that the town came to be considered little less than impregnable. The walls and battlements were completed to the height of 25 cubits, and the breadth of 10 cubits, built with great stones twenty cubits long and ten broad, so that they could not be easily underminded, nor shaken by military engines. This was the outer (for there were two others), and it was strengthened with sixty strong and lofty towers. The two other walls were of corresponding strength; the second having fourteen towers and the third eighty. Besides this, there were several castles of extraordinary strength, such as those of Hippicos, Phasael, Mariamne, and Antonia; not to mention the royal palace and some others, that were stately and well fortified. The temple itself exceeded in strength; and from its situation, with its walls, towers, and other buildings, was at least equal to the strongest fortress then existing. The defenders were numerous, wanting no arms or warlike engines, invin

NO. IV.]

cibly obstinate, and brave to desperation. But, on the other hand, they wanted experience in the defence of towns, and in the use of warlike engines which they had taken from the Romans; their stores of provision were utterly inadequate, and in a course of rapid exhaustion; and they were at variance among themselves, and with the unwarlike multitudes in the city, who sighed for safety and peace. However, the party differences of the defenders were somewhat diminished, almost as soon as the Romans made their appearance, by the suppression of the party of Eleazer, which put John in sole possession of the Temple, and left him free to act with Simon against the Romans, and against Simon when the Romans intermitted their assaults. This was the principle of contest throughout the siege. The two great parties concurred in defence of the city; but when the urgent occasion had passed, they turned their arms against each other. Thus there was two-fold war, and the life-blood of Jerusalem was drained without respite. John defended the Temple and the castle of Antonia, and Simon the rest of the city. The space which the previous devastation had cleared within the city served them for a field of battle against each other; from which, when occasion required, they unanimously hastened to act against the common enemy; after which their mutual hostilities were resumed, as if they had studied how to make their ruin more easy to the Romans.

When Titus arrived before the city, he made an ostentatious display of his forces, in battle array, in three divisions: the first and principal encamped at Scopas, about seven stadia from the city, northward; the second about three stadia behind; and the third eastward, on the mount of Olives. The first week, being the week of the Passover, he spent in making such arrangements as the survey which he had made showed to be necessary, and in preparing the ground for future operations. The ground between Scopas and the city was levelled and cleared, by the demolition of trees houses, hedges, and even rocks, which supplied materials to raise, against the wall, banks on which the military engines were planted; and the overtures of peace having been rejected with insult and scorn, he commenced active operations the day after the ending of the Paschal week, being Sunday, April 22. And here it may be observed, that Titus was instructed to avoid the error which had proved fatal to Cestius, who had made an attack on the Sabbath, expecting that the Jews would not fight on that day, and learnt otherwise to his cost. Titus knew that their present principle was, that they might on that day resist assailing enemies, in self defence, but that they might not attack them if otherwise employed. Hence the Roman general adopted the

[Price Twopence,