Did Rome Really Burn the Sanctuary in Yahrushalam?

Date: 70 CE · Primary: Josephus, The Jewish War 6.4 · Commander: Titus

What the ancient record says

Josephus does not simply say "Titus ordered the sanctuary burned." He portrays Titus discussing whether it should be destroyed and wanting to preserve it; during the fighting a Roman soldier throws fire into the structure amid the chaos, flames spread, the sanctuary is lost. The Roman army besieged, breached, and captured the complex; the burning occurred during that conquest.

To the narrow question "did Titus personally issue the final command to burn the central sanctuary?" Josephus's account says no. Titus had previously ordered fire set to gates of the complex after battering failed, deliberate Roman use of fire against parts of the complex, but Josephus distinguishes that from the later ignition of the central sanctuary building.

Two false claims to avoid: (1) Titus ordered the entire sanctuary deliberately burned; (2) Rome had nothing to do with it. Accurate: the sanctuary was destroyed during Rome's military capture; Josephus claims Titus wanted the central sanctuary preserved, though Roman forces had already used fire against parts of the complex and a soldier ultimately ignited the structure.