o had
overrun Galilee, and had besides slain a number of those whom he had
caught, [which were only the weaker part of the Galileans, and such
as were of timorous souls,] saw that the warriors ran always to those
cities whose walls had been built by Josephus, he marched furiously
against Jotapata, which was of them all the strongest, as supposing he
should easily take it by a sudden surprise, and that he should thereby
obtain great honor to himself among the commanders, and bring a great
advantage to them in their future campaign; because if this strongest
place of them all were once taken, the rest would be so aftrighted as to
surrender themselves. But he was mightily mistaken in his undertaking;
for the men of Jotapata were apprized of his coming to attack them, and
came out of the city, and expected him there. So they fought the Romans
briskly when they least expected it, being both many in number, and
prepared for fighting, and of great alacrity, as esteeming their
country, their wives, and their children to be in danger, and easily put
the Romans to flight, and wounded many of them, and slew seven of them;
[4] because their retreat was not made in a disorderly manner, be-cause
the strokes only touched the surface of their bodies, which were covered
with their armor in all parts, and because the Jews did rather throw
their weapons upon them from a great distance, than venture to come hand
to hand with them, and had only light armor on, while the others were
completely armed. However, three men of the Jews' side were slain, and
a few wounded; so Placidus, finding himself unable to assault the city,
ran away.

2. But as Vespasian had a great mind to fall upon Galilee, he marched
out of Ptolemais, having put his army into that order wherein the Romans
used to march. He ordered those auxiliaries which were lightly armed,
and the archers, to march first, that they might prevent any sudden
insults from the enemy, and might search out the woods that looked
suspiciously, and were capable of ambuscades. Next to these followed
that part of the Romans which was completely armed, both footmen and
horsemen. Next to these followed ten out of every hundred, carrying
along with them their arms, and what was necessary to measure out a camp
withal; and after them, such as were to make the road even and straight,
and if it were any where rough and hard to be passed over, to plane it,
and to cut down the woods that hindered their march