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The siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE was the decisive event of the First Jewish Revolt against the Roman Empire (66–73 CE). Roman forces led by Titus besieged the Jewish capital, the revolt's main stronghold. After months of fighting, they breached the defenses, destroyed the Second Temple, and razed the city, killing, enslaving, or displacing much of its population. The city's fall marked the effective end of the revolt and had far-reaching political, religious, and cultural consequences.
In winter 69/70 CE, after a succession war in Rome, Titus led at least 48,000 troops—including four legions and auxiliary forces—back into Judaea. By spring, this army had encircled Jerusalem, the population of which had surged with refugees and Passover pilgrims. Inside the city, rival factions led by John of Gischala, Simon bar Giora and Eleazar ben Simon fought each other, destroying food supplies and weakening defenses. Although the factions eventually united and mounted fierce resistance, Roman forces breached the city walls and pushed the defenders into the temple precincts.
In the summer month of Av (July/August), the Romans finally captured the Temple Mount and destroyed the Second Temple—an event mourned annually in Judaism on Tisha B'Av. The rest of Jerusalem fell soon after, with tens of thousands killed, enslaved, or executed. The Romans systematically razed the city, leaving only three towers of the Herodian citadel and sections of the wall to showcase its former greatness. A year later, Vespasian and Titus celebrated their victory with a triumph in Rome, parading temple spoils—including the menorah—alongside hundreds of captives. Monuments such as the Arch of Titus were erected to commemorate the victory.
The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple marked a turning point in Jewish history. With sacrificial worship no longer possible, Judaism underwent a transformation, giving rise to Rabbinic Judaism, centered on Torah study, acts of loving-kindness and synagogue prayer. The city's fall also contributed to the growing separation between early Christianity and Judaism. After the war, Legio X Fretensis established a permanent garrison on the ruins. Inspired by Jerusalem's earlier restoration after its destruction in 587/586 BCE, many Jews anticipated the city's rebuilding. In 130 CE, Emperor Hadrian re-founded it as Aelia Capitolina, a Roman colony dedicated to Jupiter, dashing Jewish hopes for a restored temple and paving the way for another major Jewish rebellion—the Bar Kokhba revolt.
General info from Wikipedia.org
