Flavius Josephus 'The Wars of the Jews' Book VI, 5, 3
Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year ...
when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus,
and at the ninth hour of the night, so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day time;
which lasted for half an hour ...
Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy,
and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron,
and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone,
was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night.
Now those that kept watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it;
who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again ...
for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds,
and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost,
as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was,
to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking,
and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove hence ..."