Gessius Florus was the Roman procurator in AD 66, ruling Judea under Nero at a time when taxes were providing less income than he desired. To make up for this lack, he took silver from the Jewish temple. This caused a reaction among the Jews, and Florus sent troops into Jerusalem, killing 3,600. This in turn caused an even greater rebellion among the Jews.
(See: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1990/issue28/2808.html?start=1)
