The Destruction of Jerusalem, or Titus and Vespasian

The Destruction of Jerusalem, also called Titus and Vespasian, is a fictionalized version of the historical Roman siege of Jerusalem, intriguing enough to fifteenth-century readers that it survives in twelve separate manuscripts. Marked by antisemitism, Christian nationalism, and violence, this Middle English poem weaves together sources both medieval and classical, transforming first-century Romans into Christian agents of divine vengeance. Moreover, it participates in a late medieval English trend of building national identity through association with Jerusalem, constructing England in Jerusalem’s image through historical romances and travel narratives. Here presented in the most comprehensive edition to date, the poem will interest scholars and students of Middle English romance, the Crusades, medieval antisemitism, and literary reimaginings of historical events. Further, this new edition expands our understanding of the fall of Jerusalem tradition in late medieval England, bringing attention to a long-ignored English retelling of these first-century events that captivated Christian audiences.