jerusalem 5 the romans Summary and Overview

JERUSALEM UNDER THE ROMANS The city was captured, b.c. 63, by the Roman Pompey, who left the valuable treasures of the temple intact; Crassus, in b.c. 54, however, plundered the temple and city of the treasures which Pompey had spared, amounting, it is computed, to 10,000 talents, or from $8,000,000 to $10,000,000. The city was captured by the Parthians under Antigonus, b.c. 40, but the next year Herod, afterward the Great, laid siege to Jerusalem, supported by a Roman army; the outer walls and lower city were taken in less than 60 days, and after prolonging the siege for five months the citadel and temple were captured by storm. Later, Herod was made king by the Romans. He speedily began to improve and beautify the city, one of the chief of his works being the enlarging of the temple, which occupied 46 years. Under his rule the city was restored to something like its ancient magnificence.