Simon bar Giora, a Gerasene by birth (thought to be from Gerasa [Jurish] in Samaria, although there were several towns by that name), became notable during the First Jewish–Roman War, when Roman troops under Cestius Gallus marched towards Jerusalem in 66. Simon spearheaded the attack against these advancing Roman troops, and helped in defeating the advance by attacking from the north, as they approached Beth Horon. He put the hindmost of the army into disorder and carried off many of the beasts that carried the weapons of war, and led them into the city. This victory marked the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War, in the 12th-year of Nero's reign. However, he was rejected for a command position by the Jerusalem authorities, for they did not want a popular leader of a rebellious peasantry if they were to moderate the revolt and negotiate with the Romans. As a result, Simon gathered a large number of revolutionaries and started robbing houses of wealthy people in the district of Acrabbene: