The First Jewish War occurred from 66-73 and was one of three major rebellions by the Jews against the Roman Empire. The Jewish rebels overtook the Roman forces in Masada, a fortress built a century earlier by Herod the Great, and settled there.

The siege of Masada began in 72. The Romans built a siege ramp, then a siege tower with a battering ram, and breached the fortress’s walls in April 73. The Romans were greeted by death: all but five (two women and five children) of the Jewish rebels had committed suicide rather than fall under Roman rule, 960 in total.

There is some dispute as to the historical accuracy of the siege. The first issue is there is only one historian, Josephus, who mentions the siege at all. The other, more glaring, issue is the archaeological evidence doesn’t exist and doesn’t support the historians claims.

Modern Israel sees the siege in two differen lights. On the one hand, Masada has become a symbol of their national identity and the struggle against an oppressive empire. On the other hand it can be seen as a symbol of Jewish radicalism, of people who chose to commit suicide (forbidden in their religion) rather than compromise.

Boudica was a queen of a tribe called the Iceni on the island of Great Britain. Her husband ruled as an ally of Rome but when he died the Roman Empire took his kingdom instead of allowing it to be passed on to his daughters. 

Boudica chose to revolt. Her forces sacked three Roman settlements, one of them modern-day London, killing over 70,000 people. The Roman governor was able to stop the revolt but not before Emperor Nero was forced to consider withdrawing all Roman forces from the island. 

Roman Senator/Historian Tacitus reports that Boudica poisoned herself to avoid capture.

Boudica became a folk-hero, revered for her rebellion. In 1902 a statue of Boudica was erected in London, next to Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. Ironic, considering London is one of the cities sacked during her revolt.

Nero ruled the Roman Empire from 54-68, his time in power best known for it’s tyrrany and extravagance. 

When a Roman Senator was murdered by one of his slaves the rest of the Roman Senate demanded the execution of his remaining slaves, according to Roman law. The fact that there were four hundred slaves didn’t change their sentence. 

The populace, upon hearing of the sentence, demanded the release of the slaves. In order to stop a potential mob, Nero deployed the Roman army to enforce the sentence and all four hundred slaves were killed.

What did the ancient Romans do with four hundred dead bodies? The logistical problems alone seem to be a deterrent in such a mass execution but since the officials were the ones calling for the murder of the slaves the people of the city were fighting a losing battle.

The entire situation brings to mind when Eisenhower sent in the US Army to enforce the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. This isn’t to equate the murder of hundreds of slaves to the integration of a high school; rather it brings to light the responsibility of those in charge to uphold sentences passed down by another branch of government. 

It’s hard to imagine Nero had any qualms whatsoever with the mass execution, given his reputation.

Vespasian was Emperor of Rome from 69-79 AD.  In 69, after being declared Emperor by the Roman Legions in Egypt, Vespasian saw two men, one blind and the other lame. According to reports, the blind man was able to see after Vespasian spat on his eyes and the lame man was able to walk after Vespasian touched him with his heel. The deity who supposedly gave Vespasian these powers was Serapis, a god popular in Alexandria. These miracles only served to cement his position as Emperor among the Egyptians. 

While Vespasian was in Egypt his troops defeated the occupant of the throne, Vitellius, and the Roman Senate declared him Emperor.

Vespasian was the fourth Emperor in the Year of the Four Emperors (civil war was responsible for the rapid changes) and his reign last until his death. His reign was the first in the Flavian Dynasty, which includes his two sons Titus and Domitian, and was the first time a Roman Emperor was directly succeeded by his son. 

Construction of the Colosseum began during Vespasian’s reign.