Simon's success had meanwhile begun worrying the…

May 69 CE

Simon's success had meanwhile begun worrying the Zealots in Jerusalem.

Since they do not dare fight in open battle, they lay an ambush, capturing his wife and some of her entourage.

They expect Simon to lay down his weapons in exchange for her freedom.

Simon grows very angry, however, goes to Jerusalem and takes everybody leaving the city captive.

Some he tortures, some he kills; he cut off the hands of others, sending them back into the city with the message that he will do likewise to all Jerusalem if his wife is not released.

This frightens the Zealots so immensely that they eventually let her go.

Jerusalem has had unstable leadership from 68 to 69 under the alliance between Simon ben Eleazar and his Zealots, John of Giscala, and the Idumeans.

Eleazar and John, in a misguided attempt to unite the city under their complete control exploit their power and slaughter the remnants of Ananus' moderate party in Jerusalem.

John during this period has distanced himself from Eleazar and the Zealots in order to avoid association with their tyrannical behavior and claim sole leadership.

As a result of this despotic turn and their insufficient representation in the government, many Idumeans defect to a violent extremist group outside the city walls known as the Sicarii, led by Simon ben Gioras.

The advancing Roman army in April 69 had forced Simon to retreat to Jerusalem, where he has camped outside the city walls and once again begun harassing people.

Within Jerusalem, John of Giscala has set himself up as a despotic ruler after overthrowing lawful authority in the Zealot Temple Siege.

The Jerusalem authorities in order to get rid of him decide to ask Simon to enter the city and drive John away.

Simon, with the support of most Idumeans, is admitted, cclaimed by the people as their savior and guardian.

With fifteen thousand soldiers at hand Simon soon controls the whole upper city and some of the lower city.

John holds parts of the lower city and the temple's outer court with six thousand men and a third splinter group of twenty-four hundred Zealots, led by Eleazar ben Simon, controls the temple's inner court.

Just as Ananus' forces had surrounded him, Eleazar finds himself in a similar situation of helplessness.

This year is marked by bitter civil war between the three factions under Simon, John, and Eleazar.

The three factions fight vigorously over the control of Jerusalem, always trying to destroy each others grain stores to starve each other into submission.

According to Tacitus, "there were three generals and three armies, and between these three there was constant fighting, treachery, and arson" (Histories 5.12.3).

This internal fighting will later prove disastrous: not only is this a sabbatical year (with less grain available), but the city is under siege by the time the harvest begins.

The leaders of the rebellion, Simon in particular, are nevertheless regarded with reverence and awe.

Coins are minted by his authority declaring the redemption of Zion.