Simon son of Gioras

Also known as: Simon · Family: Jewish · Role: commander · First appears: Book VI, Chapter 2

In Book VI, Simon son of Gioras was among those with Simon son of Josas and Judas son of Merto on the Jewish side. His parent was Gioras.

Around 70, during the siege of Jerusalem, Simon hid in an underground cavern with faithful companions, including stone-cutters, while the Romans destroyed the city. Their mining progressed only slowly, and their measured provisions began to fail, so Simon emerged in a white frock and purple cloak, hoping to astonish and elude the Romans. Terentius Rufus captured him, kept him in bonds, and informed Titus, who ordered Simon held at seaside Cesarea for the triumph he would celebrate at Rome.

Relationship record

Life events

• c. 70 · Simon son of Gioras hid underground with trusted companions while the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.(Book VII, Chapter 2 · 📍 Jerusalem)
  • “This Simon, during the siege of Jerusalem, was in the upper city; but when the Roman army was gotten within the walls, and were laying the city waste, he then took the most faithful of his friends with him, and among them some that were stone-cutters, with those iron tools which belonged to their occupation, and as great a quantity of provisions as would suffice them for a long time, and let himself and all them down into a certain subterraneous cavern that was not visible above ground.”
• c. 70 · Simon son of Gioras’s escape attempt failed as mining progressed slowly and provisions dwindled.(Book VII, Chapter 2)
  • “But when they came to make the experiment, they were disappointed of their hope; for the miners could make but small progress, and that with difficulty also; insomuch that their provisions, though they distributed them by measure, began to fail them.”
• c. 70 · Simon son of Gioras voluntarily emerged from underground disguised in distinctive clothing.(Book VII, Chapter 2)
  • “And now Simon, thinking he might be able to astonish and elude the Romans, put on a white frock, and buttoned upon him a purple cloak, and appeared out of the ground in the place where the temple had formerly been.”
• c. 70 · Terentius Rufus captured Simon son of Gioras in bonds and informed Titus Caesar of his seizure.(Book VII, Chapter 2)
  • With: Terentius Rufus Titus
  • “Terentius Rufus 2 who was left to command the army there, came to Simon, and learned of him the whole truth, and kept him in bonds, and let Caesar know that he was taken.”
• c. 70 · Titus Caesar ordered Simon son of Gioras held for the triumph at Rome.(Book VII, Chapter 2 · 📍 Cesarea)
  • With: Titus
  • “But for Simon, he was brought to Caesar in bonds, when he was come back to that Cesarea which was on the seaside, who gave orders that he should be kept against that triumph which he was to celebrate at Rome upon this occasion.”

Book VI, Chapter 2

• with Judas son of Merto (Judas is identified as one of Simon son of Gioras's combatants.) “but on the Jewish side, and of those that were with Simon, Judas the son of Merto, and Simon the son of Josas”
• with Simon son of Josas (Simon son of Josas is identified as one of Simon son of Gioras's combatants.) “but on the Jewish side, and of those that were with Simon, Judas the son of Merto, and Simon the son of Josas”

Book VII, Chapter 2

• parent: Gioras “This Simon, during the siege of Jerusalem, was in the upper city;”
• with Terentius Rufus (Terentius Rufus captured and detained Simon.) “Terentius Rufus 2 who was left to command the army there, came to Simon, and learned of him the whole truth, and kept him in bonds, and let Caesar know that he was taken.”
• with Titus (Titus Caesar ordered Simon to be kept for the triumph.) “But for Simon, he was brought to Caesar in bonds, when he was come back to that Cesarea which was on the seaside, who gave orders that he should be kept against that triumph which he was to celebrate at Rome upon this occasion.”

Book VII, Chapter 8

• parent: Gioras (Gioras is identified as Simon's father.) “Again, therefore, what mischief was there which Simon the son of Gioras did not do?”

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Extracted from the original text of The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. Made with Rho MD.