66 AD
“… and got together in great numbers in the temple, and appointed a great many generals for the war. Joseph also, the son of Gorion and Ananus the high priest, were chosen as governors of all affairs within the city, and with a particular charge to repair the walls of the city; for they did not ordain Eleazar the son of Simon to that office, although he had gotten into his possession the prey they had taken from the Romans, and the money they had taken from Cestius, together with a great part of the public treasures, because they saw he was of a tyrannical temper, and that his followers were, in their behavior, like guards about him.”
Flavius Josephus, The Jewish Wars, Book II, Chapter 20, Section 3
The rebels are certain that the Romans are planning their next attack. An assembly with representatives of all sects is summoned to Jeruslaem. The moderates, who still comprise a significant share of the population, push for reconciliation with Rome. Military generals are appointed for the different areas of the land. One of the moderates’ leaders is Simeon ben Gamliel I, a descendant of Hillel and head of the Sanhedrin. He supports Ananus ben Ananus and Joseph ben Gurion’s appointment as leaders of the rebellion in Jerusalem.
As an expression of independence and sovereignty, the rebels begin minting coins with inscriptions in Old Hebrew, such as “Holy Jerusalem”, “Shekel of Israel”, “Freedom of Zion”, as well as Jewish symbols, like a lulav, an etrog, etc. Ashkelon is an important city in the southern region of Judea, inhabited mostly by Greeks and guarded by a small Roman garrison. The rebels prove unable to conquer the city in an open field battle. Many Jews die outside the walls and those inside are massacred. Niger, commander of the campaign in Ashkelon, barely escapes death. The rebels conclude that their military forte is guerrilla warfare in urban environments. They henceforth focus their efforts on fortifying cities and preparing for the Roman legions.
The rebel government must make several crucial decisions: How can they restore peace and prosperity? How should Judea’s independence be manifested? What should be the policy toward the zealots? What should be the policy toward those areas of the country where there is a gentile majority? How can they ensure dialogue and cooperation between the different factions?
“when they were returned back to Jerusalem, they overbore some of those that favored the Romans by violence, and some them persuaded [by en-treaties] to join with them, and got together in great numbers in the temple, and appointed a great many generals for the war. Joseph also, the son of Gorion, 31 and Ananus the high priest, were chosen as governors of all affairs within the city, and with a particular charge to repair the walls of the city; for they did not ordain Eleazar the son of Simon to that office, although he had gotten into his possession the prey they had taken from the Romans, and the money they had taken from Cestius, together with a great part of the public treasures, because they saw he was of a tyrannical temper, and that his followers were, in their behavior, like guards about him” (Josephus Flavius, The Jewish Wars, Book 2, Chapter 20, paragraph 3)
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