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Josephus mourns the Temple

set in 70 CE, Jerusalem. His own words.

Where and when

set in 70 CEJerusalem

1,956 years ago

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Josephus

, JerusalemHis own words

In plain words, ours

Anyone would be right to mourn it, the most wonderful building we ever saw or heard of, rich and holy. Yet one can take comfort that fate decreed it, and fate cannot be escaped.

Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of such a work as this was, since it was the most admirable of all the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be, which is inevitable,

Josephus, The Jewish War 6.267Translated by William Whiston (1737)Read the full passage (Josephus, The Jewish War 6.267, opens scaife.perseus.org)

What was going on, our summary

Jerusalem, 70 CE. Titus' army has stormed the city, and in Josephus' telling a soldier sets fire to the Temple although Titus had rushed out to stop his men. Josephus mourns the building.

Checked claim by claim against: Titus takes Jerusalem and the Temple burns, the passage around the quote.

Why it matters

In Judaism the destruction of the Second Temple is commemorated on Tisha B'Av, a major fast day.

Based on Wikipedia: Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE)

In Judaism, the destruction of the Second Temple is commemorated on Tisha B'Av, a major fast day that also marks the destruction of the First Temple, along with other catastrophic events in Jewish history, including the fall of Betar and the expulsion of Jews from Spain.

Wikipedia, Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE) (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-09-25. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. 68 CE2 years earlier Nero kills himself as the Senate declares him an enemy Same years
  2. set in 68 CE2 years earlier Nero's last hours, as Suetonius tells it Same years
  3. 69 CE1 year earlier Four emperors in one year Same years
  4. 70 CESame year Titus takes Jerusalem and the Temple burns The event behind itAlso in Jerusalem
  5. set in 70 CEThis momentJosephus mourns the Temple
  6. set in 70 CESame year Josephus on the burning of the Temple Same passageMore from Josephus
  7. set in 70 CESame year Josephus on the famine in besieged Jerusalem More from Josephus
  8. set in 70 CESame year Titus orders the Temple fire out, per Josephus Same passageMore from Josephus
  9. c. 73–74 CEabout 3 years later Masada falls, ending the Jewish revolt Same years

Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

Moreover, the hope of plunder induced many to go on, as having this opinion, that all the places within were full of money, and as seeing that all round about it was made of gold. And besides, one of those that went into the place prevented Caesar, when he ran so hastily out to restrain the soldiers, and threw the fire upon the hinges of the gate, in the dark; whereby the flame burst out from within the holy house itself immediately, when the commanders retired, and Caesar with them, and when nobody any longer forbade those that were without to set fire to it. And thus was the holy house burnt down, without Caesar's approbation.

The quote: Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of such a work as this was, since it was the most admirable of all the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be, which is inevitable,

both as to living creatures, and as to works and places also. However, one cannot but wonder at the accuracy of this period thereto relating; for the same month and day were now observed, as I said before, wherein the holy house was burnt formerly by the Babylonians.

Josephus, The Jewish War 6.260–267Translated by William Whiston (1737)Read the full passage (opens scaife.perseus.org)

When, and whose words

Date
set in 70 CE. Set at the burning of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE; he wrote it in the 70s CE.
Whose words
His own words.
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

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