The Temple Treasure: A Historical Timeline
A.D. 66-73--The Great Revolt of the Jews against Rome. Jewish Zealots attempt to throw off Roman rule. Emperor Nero sends General Vespasian to quell the revolt. After Nero’s death follows a battle for imperial succession. Vespasian returns to Rome to be made emperor.
70--After a long siege, Jerusalem finally falls to the Roman army, now commanded by the emperor’s son Titus. The Romans sack and burn the city. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, as many as 1,1000,000 die in the siege, from starvation or the sword. Titus at first tries to save the temple, but it catches fire and is plundered by Roman soldiers.
71--The temple treasures (the golden table of incense, the lampstand, the crimson curtain and the Book of the Law) play a prominent part in Vespasian’s and Titus’ triumphal march through the streets of Rome.
75--The treasures are displayed in the library of Vespasian’s newly completed Temple of Peace, near the Roman Forum.
81--Images of the temple treasure are among sculptures on the Arch of Titus, constructed in honor of his death.
192--A fire during the reign of emperor Commodus, severely damages the Temple of Peace. It is later rebuilt under Septimus Severus (193-211).
362--The emperor Julian the Apostate tries to dismantle the gains of Christianity and reestablish paganism. He issues an edict allowing the Jews to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem, but the Jews refuse the help of a Gentile. He dies the following year.
410--Visigoths under Alaric sack Rome. The Goths are largely respectful of churches and content themselves with plundering public buildings and palaces. Some temple treasures are taken. Alaric dies in Italy and is buried with much treasure beneath the Busento River. Some treasure may also have been taken back to Carcassone, the Gothic stronghold in Gaul.
455--Vandal tribes under Geiseric sack Rome. The remainder of the temple treasures are taken to the Vandal capital at Carthage in North Africa. Leo the Great is pope.
534--Byzantine forces under General Belisarius capture Carthage, restoring North Africa to the Roman empire. The temple treasures are taken back to Constantinople and accompany the general on his triumphal march through the streets of the capital (the last recorded Roman triumph). A Jew associated with the palace warns Emperor Justinian that the treasures have brought only bad luck to those who possessed them and should be returned to Jerusalem. Justinian may have sent the treasures to adorn the church of the Holy Sepulcher or of the Theotokos (Basilica Nea) on Mt. Zion.
614--Persians sack Jerusalem, leveling the churches and murdering the Christian inhabitants. They also carry off a relic of the True Cross and other valuable church vessels.
629--Byzantine emperor Heraclius recaptures Jerusalem, restores the relics and other property to the churches.
638--Arabs invade Palestine. Valuable church property and relics may have been spirited away to Constantinople for safe-keeping.
1204--The Fourth Crusade is diverted to Constantinople. In a desperate attempt to pay his debt to the Latin (Crusader) forces who put him on the throne, Byzantine Emperor Alexius IV melts down all the palace treasures and those of the churches. Refusing to pay any more, he is killed by the Crusaders, who sack the city and carve what remains of the empire into smaller Latin kingdoms. Thousands of art treasures and antiquities are plundered and transported to the West.
1996--A controversial study claims the temple treasures may still be kept in vaults deep beneath the Vatican. Israel asks the Vatican to return any such treasures still in its possession. The Vatican denies the claim.
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