ics and secret enemies.

(M271) The first memorable event of the war was the unsuccessful
expedition against Ascalon, sixty-five miles from Jerusalem, in which
Roman discipline prevailed against numbers. This was soon followed by the
advance of Vespasian to Ptolemais, while Titus, his lieutenant and son,
sailed from Alexandria to join him. Vespasian had an army of sixty
thousand veterans. Josephus could not openly contend against this force,
but strengthened his fortified cities. Vespasian advanced cautiously in
battle array, and halted on the frontiers of Galilee. The Jews, under
Josephus, fled in despair. Gabaia was the first city which fell, and its
inhabitants were put to the sword--a stern vengeance which the Romans often
exercised, to awe their insurgent enemies. Josephus retired to Tiberius,
hopeless and discouraged, and exhorted the people of Jerusalem either to
re-enforce him with a powerful army, or make submission to the Romans.
They did neither. He then threw himself into Jotaphata, where the
strongest of the Galilean warriors had intrenched themselves. Vespasian
advanced against the city with his whole army, and drew a line of
circumvallation around it, and then commenced the attack. The city stood
on the top of a lofty hill, and was difficult of access, and well supplied
with provisions. As the works of the Romans arose around the city, its
walls were raised thirty-five feet by the defenders, while they issued out
in sallies and fought with the courage of despair. The city could not be
taken by assault, and the siege was converted into a blockade. The
besieged, supplied with provisions, issued out from behind their
fortifications, and destroyed the works of the Romans. The fearful
battering-rams of the besiegers were destroyed by the arts and inventions
of the besieged. The catapults and scorpions swept the walls, and the huge
stones began to tell upon the turrets and the towers. The whole city was
surrounded by triple lines of heavy armed soldiers, ready for assault. The
Jews resorted to all kinds of expedients, even to the pouring of boiling
oil on the heads of their assailants. The Roman general was exasperated at
the obstinate resistance, and proceeded by more cautious measures. He
raised the embankments, and fortified them with towers, in which he placed
slingers and archers, whose missiles told with terrible effect on those
who defended the walls. Forty-seven days did the gallant defenders resist
all