1 Now it happened, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas,⁠a persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan. For he told them he was a prophet: and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and give them an easy passage over it. And many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt: but sent a troop of horsemen out against them. Who falling upon them unexpectedly, killed many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what happened to the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government. 2 Then came Tiberius Alexander, as successor to Fadus. He was the son of Alexander, the alabarch of Alexandria: which Alexander was a principal person among all his contemporaries, both for his family, and wealth. He was also more eminent for his piety than this son of his, Alexander: for he did not continue in the religion of his country. Under these procurators that great famine happened in Judea, in which Queen Helena bought grain in Egypt, at a great expense, and distributed it to those that were in need: as I have related already. And besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now killed: I mean of that Judas, who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews; as we have shown in a previous book.4 The names of those sons were James and Simon: whom Alexander commanded to be crucified. But now Herod King of Chalcis, removed Joseph, the son of Camydus, from the High Priesthood; and made Ananias, the son of Nebedus, his successor. And now it was, that Cumanus came as successor to Tiberius Alexander: as also that Herod, brother of Agrippa, the great King, died: in the eighth year of the reign of Claudius Cesar. He left behind him three sons; Aristobulus, whom he had by his first wife, with Bernicianus, and Hyrcanus; both whom he had by Bernice, his brother’s daughter. But Claudius Cesar bestowed his dominions on Agrippa junior. 3 Now while the Jewish affairs were under the administration of Cumanus, there happened a great tumult at the city of Jerusalem; and many of the Jews perished in it. But I shall first explain the occasion from which it was derived. When that feast, which is called the passover, was at hand: at which time our custom is to use unleavened bread: and a great multitude was gathered together from all parts to that feast; Cumanus was afraid that some attempt of innovation should then be made by them. So he ordered that one regiment of the army should take their arms, and stand in the temple cloisters; to repress any attempts of innovation, if perhaps any such should begin. And this was no more than what the former procurators of Judea did at such festivals. But on the fourth day of the feast, a certain soldier let down his breeches, and exposed his genitals to the multitude. Which put those that saw him into a furious rage; and made them cry out, that this impious action was not done to reproach them, but God himself. Indeed some of them reproached Cumanus, and pretended that the soldier was set on by him. Which when Cumanus heard, he was also himself not a little provoked at such reproaches laid upon him. Yet he urged them to stop such seditious attempts; and not to raise a tumult at the festival. But when he could not induce them to be quiet: for they still went on in their reproaches to him: he gave order that the whole army should take their entire armour, and come to Antonia: which was a fortress, as we have said already, which overlooked the temple. But when the multitude saw the soldiers there, they were frightened at them; and ran away hastily. But as the exits were narrow; and as they thought their enemies followed them; they were crowded together in their flight, and a great number were pressed to death in those narrow passages. Indeed the number of those who perished was no fewer than twenty thousand in this tumult. So instead of a festival, they had at last a mournful day of it: and they all of them forgot their prayers and sacrifices; and turned to lamentation and weeping. So great an affliction did the impudent obscenity of a single soldier bring upon them. 4 Now before this first period of mourning of theirs was over, another mischief happened to them also. For some of those that raised the previous disturbance, when they were travelling along the public road, about a hundred furlongs from the city, robbed Stephanus, a servant of Cesar’s; as he was journeying: and plundered him of all that he had with him. Which things when Cumanus heard of, he sent soldiers immediately, and ordered them to plunder the neighbouring villages, and to bring the most eminent persons among them in bonds to him. Now, as this devastation was making, one of the soldiers seized the laws of Moses, that lay in one of those villages; and brought them out before the eyes of all present; and tore them to pieces. And this was done with reproachful language, and much scurrility. Which things when the Jews heard of, they ran together, and that in great numbers; and came down to Cesarea, where Cumanus was then, and begged him that he would avenge, not themselves, but God himself, whose laws had been affronted. For that they could not bear to live any longer, if the laws of their ancestors must be affronted in this way. Accordingly Cumanus, out of fear that the multitude might go into a sedition; and by the advice of his friends also, took care that the soldier who had offered the affront to the laws should be beheaded; and in this way put a stop to the sedition which was ready to be kindled a second time.