The Aftermath destruction of the 2nd temple

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/953571/jewish/The-Aftermath.htm

The Aftermath




It had taken Titus almost half a year to capture Jerusalem, and it had cost him more soldiers than many other famous military campaigns. But now his triumph was complete. Titus ordered that that all the surviving warriors and anyone connected to the Zealots should be killed, as well as any old or sick people.



The remaining captives were divided into groups. Those over seventeen were sent to work to their deaths in Egyptian copper mines, while those under seventeen were sold as slaves. Many captives were sent to circuses where they were forced to fight hungry lions for the pleasure of the mobs. Seven hundred of the tallest and most attractive Jewish youths were chosen to be marched in Titus' victory parade in Rome. Yochanan of Gush Chalav and Simon ben Giora were also kept alive to be paraded. While this selection was going on, 11,000 more people died of hunger.



In 71 CE, Titus sailed home. An Arch of Triumph was constructed, engraved with images of Jewish captives carrying the vessels of the Temple. The victorious troops marched through the arch with Titus at their head and in front of him the young and handsome captives, carrying the golden vessels of the Temple, as well as Yochanan of Gush Chalav (who was then imprisoned for life) and Simon ben Giora (who was executed soon after). The arch can still be seen in Rome today.



The Romans also minted a coin in honor of their victory. On one side of the coin there was an image of Emperor Vespasian's head, and on the other side there was a woman, chained and crying under a palm tree, guarded by a Roman soldier, with the words "Judea Capta" (Judea is captured).



In those last few years before the Temple was destroyed, vast numbers of Jews – over a million – died from disease, hunger, or battle. The holy vessels of the Temple were carried away by the conquerors. A hundred thousand Jewish captives were sold into slavery. The last group of Zealots was put down in Masada three years later.