Lucilius Bassus

Also known as: Bassus · Family: Roman · Role: legate · First appears: Book VII, Chapter 6

In c. 70, Lucilius Bassus was sent as Roman legate to Judea, where he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus and captured the citadel at Herodium with its garrison. At Machaerus, he ordered Eleazar stripped, displayed before the city, and severely whipped, then used the threat of further punishment to pressure the besieged into surrendering the citadel. When they agreed to yield and requested that Eleazar leave with them, Bassus honored the terms, released them, and restored Eleazar.

About the same time, Titus sent Bassus and Liberius Maximus orders that Judea be exposed for sale. In c. 72, Bassus died in Judea, and Flavius Silva succeeded him there as procurator.

Relationship record

Life events

c. 70 · Lucilius Bassus became Judea’s legate and received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Judea)
- With: Cerealis Vitellianus
- “Now Lucilius Bassus was sent as legate into Judea, and there he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus”
c. 70 · Lucilius Bassus captured the citadel at Herodium and its garrison.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Herodium)
- “and took that citadel which was in Herodium, together with the garrison that was in it;”
c. 70 · Lucilius Bassus ordered Eleazar stripped, displayed before the city, and severely whipped.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Machaerus)
- With: Eleazar (unresolved ch105)
- “So the general of the Romans ordered that he should be taken up naked, set before the city to be seen, and sorely whipped before their eyes.”
c. 70 · The besieged surrendered the citadel after Eleazar urged them to yield to Roman power.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Machaerus)
- With: Eleazar (unresolved ch105)
- “Accordingly, they sent out immediately certain messengers, and treated with the Romans, in order to a surrender of the citadel to them”
c. 70 · Lucilius Bassus honored the surrender terms, releasing the besieged and restoring Eleazar.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Machaerus)
- With: Eleazar (unresolved ch105)
- “But as Bassus thought he must perform the covenant he had made with those that surrendered the citadel, he let them go, and restored Eleazar to them.”
c. 70 · Caesar ordered Judea exposed for sale and imposed an annual tribute on its Jews.(Book VII, Chapter 6 · 📍 Judea)
- With: Titus Liberius Maximus
- “About the same time it was that Caesar sent a letter to Bassus, and to Liberius Maximus, who was the procurator [of Judea], and gave order that all Judea should be exposed to sale”
c. 72 · Bassus dies, and Flavius Silva succeeds him as procurator of Judea.(Book VII, Chapter 8 · 📍 Judea)
- With: Flavius Silva
- “When Bassus was dead in Judea, Flavius Silva succeeded him as procurator there;”

Book VII, Chapter 6

with Cerealis Vitellianus (Bassus received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus.) “Now Lucilius Bassus was sent as legate into Judea, and there he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus, and took that citadel which was in Herodium, together with the garrison that was in it;”
enemies with Eleazar (unresolved ch105) (Bassus acted against Eleazar and the besieged Jews.) “When Bassus perceived that, he began to think of using a stratagem against the enemy, and was desirous to aggravate their grief, in order to prevail with them to surrender the city for the preservation of that man. Nor did he fail of his hope; for he commanded them to set up a cross, as if he were just going to hang Eleazar upon it immediately;”
with Titus (Caesar sent Bassus a letter and gave an order.) “About the same time it was that Caesar sent a letter to Bassus, and to Liberius Maximus, who was the procurator [of Judea], and gave order that all Judea should be exposed to sale”
with Cerealis Vitellianus (Cerealis transferred the army to Lucilius Bassus.) “he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus”
with Eleazar (unresolved ch105) (Bassus threatened Eleazar with execution to force the citadel's surrender.) “When Bassus perceived that, he began to think of using a stratagem against the enemy, and was desirous to aggravate their grief, in order to prevail with them to surrender the city for the preservation of that man. Nor did he fail of his hope; for he commanded them to set up a cross, as if he were just going to hang Eleazar upon it immediately”
with Eleazar (unresolved ch105) (interaction) “Accordingly, they sent out immediately certain messengers, and treated with the Romans, in order to a surrender of the citadel to them, and desired that they might be permitted to go away, and take Eleazar along with them. Then did the Romans and their general accept of these terms”

Book VII, Chapter 8

with Flavius Silva (Silva succeeded Bassus as procurator.) “When Bassus was dead in Judea, Flavius Silva succeeded him as procurator there”

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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.