compassed with
a wall when he fortified the city, that its top might not be capable
of being seized upon by the enemies. The city is covered all round with
other mountains, and can no way be seen till a man comes just upon it.
And this was the strong situation of Jotapata.

8. Vespasian, therefore, in order to try how he might overcome the
natural strength of the place, as well as the bold defense of the Jews,
made a resolution to prosecute the siege with vigor. To that end he
called the commanders that were under him to a council of war, and
consulted with them which way the assault might be managed to the best
advantage. And when the resolution was there taken to raise a bank
against that part of the wall which was practicable, he sent his whole
army abroad to get the materials together. So when they had cut down
all the trees on the mountains that adjoined to the city, and had gotten
together a vast heap of stones, besides the wood they had cut down, some
of them brought hurdles, in order to avoid the effects of the darts that
were shot from above them. These hurdles they spread over their banks,
under cover whereof they formed their bank, and so were little or
nothing hurt by the darts that were thrown upon them from the wall,
while others pulled the neighboring hillocks to pieces, and perpetually
brought earth to them; so that while they were busy three sorts of ways,
nobody was idle. However, the Jews cast great stones from the walls upon
the hurdles which protected the men, with all sorts of darts also; and
the noise of what could not reach them was yet so terrible, that it was
some impediment to the workmen.

9. Vespasian then set the engines for throwing stones and darts round
about the city. The number of the engines was in all a hundred and
sixty, and bid them fall to work, and dislodge those that were upon the
wall. At the same time such engines as were intended for that purpose
threw at once lances upon them with a great noise, and stones of the
weight of a talent were thrown by the engines that were prepared for
that purpose, together with fire, and a vast multitude of arrows, which
made the wall so dangerous, that the Jews durst not only not come
upon it, but durst not come to those parts within the walls which were
reached by the engines; for the multitude of the Arabian archers, as
well also as all those that threw darts and slung stones, fell to work
at the same time with the engines. Yet did not the