far as the Jews were concerned. But peace once restored in Italy,
foreign troubles began again with feelings embittered on our side by
the thought that the Jews were the only people who had not given in.
At the same time it seemed best to leave Titus at the head of the army
to meet the eventualities of the new reign, whether good or bad.

Thus, as we have already seen,[510] Titus pitched his camp before 11
the walls of Jerusalem and proceeded to display his legions in battle
order. The Jews formed up at the foot of their own walls, ready, if
successful, to venture further, but assured of their retreat in case
of reverse. A body of cavalry and some light-armed foot were sent
forward, and fought an indecisive engagement, from which the enemy
eventually retired. During the next few days a series of skirmishes
took place in front of the gates, and at last continual losses drove
the Jews behind their walls. The Romans then determined to take it by
storm. It seemed undignified to sit and wait for the enemy to starve,
and the men all clamoured for the risks, some being really brave,
while many others were wild and greedy for plunder. Titus himself had
the vision of Rome with all her wealth and pleasures before his eyes,
and felt that their enjoyment was postponed unless Jerusalem fell at
once. The city, however, stands high and is fortified with works
strong enough to protect a city standing on the plain. Two enormous
hills[511] were surrounded by walls ingeniously built so as to project
or slope inwards and thus leave the flanks of an attacking party
exposed to fire. The rocks were jagged at the top. The towers, where
the rising ground helped, were sixty feet high, and in the hollows as
much as a hundred and twenty. They are a wonderful sight and seem from
a distance to be all of equal height. Within this runs another line of
fortification surrounding the palace, and on a conspicuous height
stands the Antonia, a castle named by Herod in honour of Mark Antony.

The temple was built like a citadel with walls of its own, on 12
which more care and labour had been spent than on any of the others.
Even the cloisters surrounding the temple formed a splendid rampart.
There was a never-failing spring of water,[512] catacombs hollowed out
of the hills, and pools or cisterns for holding the rain-water. Its
original builders had foreseen that the peculiarities of Jewish life
would lead to frequent wars, consequently eve