First Jewish RevoltArticle Free Pass First Jewish Revolt, (ad
66–70), Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judaea. The First
Jewish Revolt was the result of a long series of clashes in
which small groups of Jews offered sporadic resistance to the
Romans, who in turn responded with severe countermeasures. In
the fall of ad 66 the Jews combined in revolt, expelled the
Romans from Jerusalem, and overwhelmed in the pass of Beth-Horon
a Roman punitive force under Gallus, the imperial legate in
Syria. A revolutionary government was then set up and extended
its influence throughout the whole country. Vespasian was
dispatched by the Roman emperor Nero to crush the rebellion. He
was joined by Titus, and together the Roman armies entered
Galilee, where the historian Josephus headed the Jewish forces.
Josephus’ army was confronted by that of Vespasian and fled.
After the fall of the fortress of Jatapata, Josephus gave
himself up, and the Roman forces swept the country. On the 9th
of the month of Av (August 29) in ad 7