The Fall of Jerusalem 

    Either of the above explanations is possible, but I favor the latter explanation. My reconstruction of the 

Macedonian/Jewish calendars for that time period, based on the analysis of the siege of Jerusalem below, 

places Audynaios 3 on Tevet 3 and December 20 in the year in question, 

A.D.

 54. See Appendix I, Chart 5 for 

the correlation between these calendars. 

From Alexandria to Caesarea 

    Vespasian's troops were successful in defeating Vitellius' troops at Rome in late December of 

A.D.

 54. 

Tacitus places this victory about Dec. 20.

1056

 But Vespasian himself was not in Rome at the time. According to 

Josephus, Vespasian was at Alexandria, in Egypt, when the news of his troops' victory reached him.

1057

 It 

would have taken 6 to 8 weeks for a ship to travel from Rome to Alexandria in winter (when sailing the 

Mediterranean is difficult and dangerous).

1058

 Their mission to inform Vespasian that he was now emperor of 

Rome was important enough to justify this risk. So Vespasian would not have learned of his troops' success in 

Rome until sometime in February of 

A.D.

 55 (6 to 8 weeks after his victory in late December). 

    Now, according to Josephus, Vespasian did not travel immediately to Rome, but spent some time in 

Alexandria receiving emissaries from various nations and celebrating his accession to the throne.

1059

 These 

event would occupy at least a few weeks, placing Vespasian's departure from Alexandria no earlier than 

March of 

A.D.

 55. Josephus also states that Vespasian departed from Alexandria for Rome when winter was 

nearly over, which would again seem to be sometime in March. For a Jewish priest such as Josephus, the end 

of winter would be the days leading up to the Spring Equinox and the month of Nisan. The Spring Equinox 

occurred about March 22 or 23 during this time period. 

    On the other hand, Tacitus describes Vespasian spending a longer amount of time at Alexandria.  In the 

course of the months which Vespasian spent at Alexandria, waiting for the regular season of summer winds 

when the sea could be relied upon . 

1060

 Tacitus here places Vespasian's departure from Alexandria at least a 

few months later than Josephus. If Vespasian waited months before returning to Rome, and if he waited for 

the summer winds,  this would seem to place his departure later than March, in perhaps May or June. Dio 

seems to agree with Tacitus on this point. He tells us that Vespasian had intended to wait for Titus to capture 

Jerusalem before returning to Rome, but that time dragged on and so Vespasian set out for Rome anyway.

1061

    When Vespasian heard the good news that he was now emperor of Rome, he did not immediately send 

Titus to capture Jerusalem. According to Josephus, Titus remained at Alexandria to assist his father  in 

settling that government which had been newly conferred upon them by God . 

1062

  Vespasian heard of his 

victory at Rome sometime in February, and Titus remained with Vespasian at Alexandria for some length of 

time before setting out to capture Jerusalem. Thus the  earliest that Titus could have set out for Jerusalem 

would be sometime in March, as Josephus seems to indicate.

1063

 Dio places Vespasian's departure for Rome at 

a later date, but he also indicates that Titus departed for Judea before Vespasian left Alexandria, so there is no 

real conflict between Josephus and Dio on this point. 

    How long did it take Titus to travel from Alexandria to Jerusalem? Neither Tacitus nor Dio give us any 

detailed information on the time period between Titus departing from Alexandria and the beginning of the 

siege of Jerusalem. Josephus details a series of locations within Egypt through which Titus marched with his 

army.

1064

 From Egypt, Titus traveled along the coast, stopping to rest with his army at a series of cities: 

Rhinocolura, Raphia, Gaza, Ascalon, Joppa, and Caesarea.

1065

 According to Josephus, Titus gathered his 

forces at Caesarea.

1066

 The journey was mainly on foot; boats were used only for one short portion of the 

journey while they were still in Egypt. The journey from Alexandria  to Caesarea is between 350 and 400 

miles.

1067

 To march an army on foot for most of that distance, stopping to rest at several places along the way, 

would take 4 weeks or longer. So, if Titus left Alexandria in mid to late March, he would have arrived at 

Caesarea in mid to late April, in the year 

A.D.

 55. On the other hand, if we follow Dio and Tacitus on this 

point, Titus may have left Alexandria, and arrived at Caesarea, a month or two later. 

217