Originally posted by Cow Poke
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The legions, auxiliaries and client forces that had proved necessary to carry out the siege of Jerusalem were rapidly reduced after 70 C.E, leaving the new governor of the province, Lucilius Bassus, with only one legion (and some auxiliary regiments) to deal with the remaining threat. Given that the war had been officially "won" - to wit Titus' triumph in Rome - it was unlikely that much glory would have been accorded to a commander engaged in what were viewed as "mopping up" operations once the enormous task of eliminating the enemy's capital had been achieved.
However, the enemy could not be permitted to continue to defy Rome's might and to simply ignore them until they [eventually] starved to death risked them leaving their stronghold and again whipping up trouble in territories that had recently [and at dreadful cost to both sides] been pacified. So they had to be eliminated.
However, as we know this was neither the first nor last rebellion by the Jews against Rome, and the next would be even bloodier.
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