The Destruction of Jerusalem and Later History
A note from the author: What happened in this tragic event in history? This massacre can only be compared to Hitler's. The destruction of Jerusalem is a very important event in God's prophetic calendar. Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 24. Jerusalem is the center of prophetic fulfillment. It is my desire that we learn more and more details from biblical history, so that we may have a deeper understanding of Bible prophecy.
Jewish Wars, in revolt against Rome, began A.D. 66. Titus with his Roman Army arrived before the walls of Jerusalem on the day of Passover, A.D. 70. Banks of earthwork were built, battering rams were placed, and the siege began.
The Roman Army numbered 30,000; the Jewish Army, 24,000. The city was crowded with 600,000 visitors, according to Tacitus. After 5 months the walls were battered down, the Temple burned, and the city left ruined and desolate, except Herod's three great towers at the northwest corner, which were left standing as a memorial of the massive strength of the fortifications which Titus had demolished.
The Roman Army moved down to Caesarea. Over 1,000,000 Jews were killed. 95,000 captives were taken, among them Josephus. Eusebius says that Christians, on the appearance of the Roman Army, through Prophetic warning, fled to Pella.
For the 50 years following, Jerusalem disappeared from history. In A.D. 135, Barcocheba, a pretended Messiah, led a revolt, got possesssion of the city, and attempted to rebuild the Temple. The revolt was suppressed by the Roman Army. 580,000 Jews were killed, and Judah desolated. Jews were forbidden to reenter Jerusalem, on pain of death. A Temple to Jupiter was erected where the Temple of God had stood.
Under Constantine, A.D. 326, the temple of Astarte was torn away from the site of the Holy Sepulchre; and the city again became a leading Christian center. In the 5th century it became the seat of one of the Five Patriarchs who quite largely dominated Christendom, the other cities being Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria. In the year A.D. 637 Jerusalem fell to Mohammedans, and remained a Mohammedan city, except for about 100 years in the Crusade Period, till 1917 it returned to control of Christendom.