The Jews living there rebelled against their Roman reign. Emperor Nero decided that what they did wasn't okay, and he launched an attack against Jerusalem, the Jews' religious stronghold.
It turned into a slaughterfest of Legionnaires killing Jews and ransacking the city. This eventually led to the Romans burning down and destroying the Jews' Temple that served as the center of Judaism.
It was to pay down their war debts from fighting the French in the Seven Years' War.
The Founding Fathers of the United States were influenced by Cicero's ideas about government.