In the spring of 69 CE, Jerusalem stood as a sprawling metropolis covering approximately 450 acres. The city housed tens of thousands of residents and served as the spiritual center for Jews across the Roman Empire. Pliny the Elder described it as the most famous city in the East while Tacitus called it the capital of the Jews. Three defensive walls protected the urban area. The First Wall enclosed both the lower and upper cities during the second century BCE. The Second Wall extended further north to protect new neighborhoods. King Herod Agrippa initiated construction of the Third Wall in the early 40s CE to enclose the northern suburb of Bezetha. Emperor Claudius halted work on this final barrier due to fears of rebellion or because Agrippa died. Construction resumed in haste when the revolt began.
The city relied heavily on imported food from Judea, Samaria, and Galilee since local agriculture could not sustain its population. Water came from large pools collecting rainwater runoff and channels directing flow from the Gihon Spring. An aqueduct system brought additional water from Bethlehem and areas further south. When refugees and insurgents poured into the city during the war, vulnerability to famine increased dramatically. Internal fighting between rival Jewish factions destroyed food stores crucial for survival. John of Gischala, Simon bar Giora, and Eleazar ben Simon each controlled different sectors of the city. They burned provisions to weaken their enemies before the Romans arrived.
Roman Military Buildup
Titus returned to Judaea in winter 69/70 CE with an army of nearly 50,000 soldiers. His forces included Legio V Macedonica, Legio X Fretensis, and Legio XV Apollinaris alongside auxiliary units. Tiberius Julius Alexander served as his second-in-command. This combined force was significantly larger than any previously deployed against Britain. Roman legions established camps at strategic locations around Jerusalem. Legion XII, XV, and V set up positions on Mount Scopus northeast of the city. Legion X established a camp on the Mount of Olives. During construction some unarmed soldiers were attacked by rebel forces charging across the Kidron Valley.
Titus conducted reconnaissance missions with 600 cavalrymen to assess northern defenses. He narrowly escaped ambush after being cut off from his main group. The Roman army advanced through Samaria resting briefly in Gophna. Sextus Vettulenus Cerialis led Legio V southward via Emmaus while A. Larcius Lepidus Sulpicianus approached from Jericho. Titus positioned his forces in the Valley of Thorns three miles from Jerusalem. He focused assaults on the north and northeast where natural ravines offered no protection. Tacitus recorded that 600,000 people were besieged within the walls though modern historians consider this figure exaggerated.