Jerusalem. The Zealots request the aid of the Idumeans, who assemble 20,000 armed men under the command of John, James son of Sosha, Simon son of Tacea, and Phineas son of Clusot. Thus, once the Idumeans arrive, the Zealots find themselves besieged by the people of Jerusalem, who in turn are besieged by the Idumeans. The latter, with nightfall and thanks to a providential storm, manage to enter the city walls, reaching the great Temple, where the Zealots await them. Together, they rush through the streets of Jerusalem, ready to massacre the population. In the ensuing battle, the people initially manage to repel the foreign allied forces, but then tragically succumb to the superior military preparations of the two allies. After this massacre, the Idumeans, regretting having been implicated in this way by the Zealots and fearing the Romans’ reaction, chose to release about two thousand citizens held in prison. They promptly fled the city and joined Simon, and soon afterward withdrew from Jerusalem, returning to their territories. Their departure, however, did not end the hostilities between the people and the Zealots, who, on the contrary, continued to commit terrible crimes with lightning speed. According to Josephus, the dead numbered nearly 9,000. Among them were the high priests Ananus and Jesus, whose bodies remained unburied.
