The Fall of Jerusalem to Rome
The Jewish revolt that began in AD 66 ended with Titus's siege of Jerusalem. The temple was burned and the city destroyed; the historian Josephus, who was present on the Roman side, left a detailed and appalling account of the famine inside the walls. The Arch of Titus in Rome still shows the menorah being carried off in the triumph.
The consequences outlast the war. With the temple gone the sacrificial system ended permanently, and Judaism reorganised around the synagogue, the study of Torah, and the rabbinic tradition that followed.
The Gospels record Jesus predicting it, forty years earlier, when disciples remarked on the temple's fine stones: not one stone will be left on another. For the early Christian communities the destruction also severed the movement's remaining institutional ties to Jerusalem, and the centre of gravity shifted decisively to the wider empire.
Where in scripture
[1] Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. [2] But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”
Matthew 24:1–2
[1] As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!” [2] Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.”
Mark 13:1–2
[5] As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said, [6] “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.” [7] They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?” [8] He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them. [9] When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.” [10] Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. …
Luke 21:5–24 — opening verses
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
