Known by the Romans as Cofna , Jifna was a regional capital in the Iudaea Province under the Roman Empire . Around 50 BCE the Roman general Cassius sold the population into slavery , for failure to pay taxes . They was freed , however , by Mark Antony shortly after he came to power . Jifna was within the area under Hananiah 's command in 66 CE , during the First Jewish @-@ Roman War , and was the headquarters of one of the twelve toparchies ( minor realms ) of Judea . The Roman emperor Vespasian occupied the town in 68 CE , established an army garrison there , and concentrated within the city Jewish priests and other local notables who had surrendered to him . Titus , the future Roman emperor , passed through Gophna during his march to besiege Jerusalem in 70 CE .