Background The name Simon bar Giora identifies him as "Simon, son of Giora." "Simon" was a common Jewish name in the
Second Temple period. The name () is thought to mean "convert" or "sojourner" in
Aramaic, and is connected to the Hebrew word (), indicating a non-Jewish background;
Josephus describes Simon as "a Gerasene by origin," with the exact location of this Gerasa remaining debated. While this might suggest Gerasa in the
Decapolis (modern
Jerash), which hosted a Jewish community during this period, the identification is problematic. during
Vespasian's campaign to isolate Jerusalem—pointing to a different site. and helped in defeating the advance by attacking from the north, as they approached
Beth Horon. He put the hindmost of the army into disorder and carried off many of the beasts that carried the weapons of war, and led them into the city. This victory marked the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War, in the 12th year of
Nero's reign. However, he was rejected for a command position by the Jerusalem authorities, for they did not want a popular leader of a rebellious peasantry if they were to moderate the revolt and negotiate with the Romans. As a result, Simon gathered a large number of revolutionaries and started robbing houses of wealthy people in the district of
Acrabbene: Meanwhile, a large force of Idumeans had encamped outside the walls of Jerusalem, and were barred by the citizenry from entering inside the city, in hopes of preserving the peace. Members of the Zealot party secretly opened one of the gates to bring them inside, hoping thereby to augment their forces against the common enemy of Rome. Now outraged that they had been barred from the city by the citizenry, the Idumeans went about murdering the common people of the city, including two of Israel's High Priests,
Ananus ben Ananus and
Joshua ben Gamla. Simon stayed safe in
Masada from the Judean provisional Government authorities until Ananus ben Ananus was killed in the
Zealot Temple Siege, after which he left the fortress for the hill country and proclaimed liberty for those in slavery, and a reward to those already free. He gathered power quickly as more people and influential men joined him. He soon dared to venture into the flatlands, constructed a fort in a village called Nain, and stored food and booty within caves in
Pharan valley. It was obvious that he prepared to attack Jerusalem. However, Simon ben Giora first attacked
Idumea to the south of Jerusalem, sacking its many villages, and his intimidating army met no real resistance. He marched into
Hebron, robbed the grain stores of towns and villages, and plundered the countryside in order to feed his vast troops. By this time, he was followed by forty thousand people not including his soldiers. Within Jerusalem,
John of Giscala had set himself up as a despotic ruler after overthrowing lawful authority of the
Judean provisional government in the Zealot Temple Siege. In order to get rid of him, the remaining Jerusalem authorities decided to invite Simon to enter the city and to drive John away. Acclaimed by the people as their savior and guardian, Simon was admitted. Simon, with fifteen thousand soldiers at hand, soon controlled the whole upper city and some of the lower city, setting up his place of residence in the
tower of Phasael. John held parts of the lower city and the Temple's outer court with six thousand men and a third splinter group of twenty-four hundred men controlled the temple's inner court. Within the city, factions fought vigorously over the control of Jerusalem, always trying to destroy each other's grain stores to starve each other into submission.
Cassius Dio describes him as the "leader" (
archon) of the Judeans. , with the names of illustrious prisoners who were locked up, awaiting execution. Among them, Simon bar Giora Just before
Passover in 70,
Titus began the
siege of Jerusalem. He quickly took down the first and second wall, but then met fierce resistance Like kings of other countries Simon was paraded through the streets of Rome in chains during the triumphal procession. Judged a rebel and a traitor by the Romans, he was executed by being thrown to his death from the
Tarpeian Rock near the
Temple of Jupiter. == See also ==