Amazon.com description: Product Description: In all history, there is no drama of more terrible interest than that
which terminated with the total destruction of Jerusalem. Had the
whole Jewish nation joined in the desperate resistance made, by a
section of it, to the overwhelming strength of Rome, the world would
have had no record of truer patriotism than that displayed, by this
small people, in their resistance to the forces of the mistress of the
world.

Unhappily, the reverse of this was the case. Except in the
defense of Jotapata and Gamala, it can scarcely be said that the Jewish
people, as a body, offered any serious resistance to the arms of Rome.
The defenders of Jerusalem were a mere fraction of its population a
fraction composed almost entirely of turbulent characters and robber
bands, who fought with the fury of desperation; after having placed
themselves beyond the pale of forgiveness, or mercy, by the deeds of
unutterable cruelty with which they had desolated the city, before its
siege by the Romans. They fought, it is true, with unflinching
courage a courage never surpassed in history but it was the courage
of despair; and its result was to bring destruction upon the whole
population, as well as upon themselves.


G. A. Henty