The First Jewish–Roman War, also called the Jewish War, was a major rebellion by the Jewish people of Judea against the Roman Empire. It lasted from 66 CE to 73 (or 74) CE and is best known for the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
The trouble began because tensions had been rising between the Jews and the Roman rulers for many years. The Romans charged high taxes, sent corrupt governors, and disrespected Jewish religion — for example, by putting Roman symbols in holy places. In 66 CE, these tensions exploded into open rebellion when Jewish fighters pushed the Roman soldiers out of Jerusalem.
This angered the Roman emperor Nero, who sent his general Vespasian to crush the revolt. Vespasian and his son Titus led huge Roman armies to slowly take back control of Judea, starting with the northern region of Galilee.
In 70 CE, Titus began a siege of Jerusalem. The city was surrounded, food ran out, and the fighting was fierce. Eventually, the Roman army broke through the walls and destroyed much of the city — including the Second Temple, which was the center of Jewish religious life. Only part of the wall remained, which today is known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall.
Even after Jerusalem fell, the fighting wasn’t over. A group of Jewish rebels made a final stand at a mountain fortress called Masada, near the Dead Sea. The Romans surrounded the fortress and laid siege. According to the ancient historian Josephus, when the Romans finally broke in around 73 or 74 CE, the defenders chose suicide over surrender.
The war had terrible results for the Jewish people. Hundreds of thousands were killed or enslaved. Jerusalem was destroyed. Judea was brought fully under Roman control and most importantly, the Temple was gone, which changed Jewish life forever. From that point on, worship focused on synagogues and rabbis instead of sacrifices at the Temple.
This war was one of the most tragic moments in Jewish history and marked the beginning of a new era for the Jewish people.
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