Josephus
Flavius Josephus was born in Jerusalem to a father named Matthias, who belonged to the priestly order of Jehoiarib. This order held the distinction of being the first among twenty-four groups of priests serving in the Temple. His mother came from an aristocratic family claiming descent from the Hasmonean dynasty, which had once ruled Judea as kings. He grew up wealthy and educated alongside his older brother, also named Matthias. At approximately 26 years old, he traveled to Rome on a mission to free Jewish priests imprisoned by Emperor Nero. With help from Poppaea, Nero's wife, and a Jewish actor, he successfully secured their release before returning home.
When the First Jewish, Roman War erupted around AD 66, Josephus took command of Jewish forces in Galilee. He trained 65,000 troops across the region while facing internal division between cities like Sepphoris and Tiberias. Some towns sought Roman protection while others appealed to King Agrippa for safety. Josephus fortified numerous settlements including Tarichaea, Japha, and Selamin against expected attacks. He engaged Roman legions at Garis but eventually retreated during the siege of Yodfat. The Romans captured the city in the lunar month of Tammuz during Nero's thirteenth year. Inside a cave with forty companions after the fall, Josephus proposed a method of collective suicide where men drew lots to kill each other. He remained one of two survivors who surrendered to Flavius Vespasian in July 67 AD.
During his captivity at Yodfat, Josephus claimed to receive a divine revelation predicting that Vespasian would become emperor. When this prophecy came true following Vespasian's rise to power in AD 69, the new emperor freed him as a gesture of gratitude. Josephus adopted the family name Flavius from his patrons, becoming a client of the ruling dynasty. He received Roman citizenship along with accommodation in Judaea and a pension. In 71 AD he traveled to Rome as part of Titus's entourage. There he married three times, first to a captive Jewish woman whom he later divorced, then to an Alexandrian Jewess, and finally to a Greek woman from Crete. Only one son named Hyrcanus survived childhood while another pair of sons were born to his final marriage.
Josephus wrote The Jewish War between AD 75 and 78 as a seven-volume account in Greek addressing upper barbarians in Mesopotamia. The work covers events from the Maccabees through the fall of Jerusalem and subsequent sieges of Herodion and Masada. He blamed unrepresentative fanatics like Simon bar Giora for leading masses away from traditional aristocratic leaders. His narrative includes descriptions of corrupt Roman governors and details about Jewish customs such as hanging linen curtains at house entrances. The text provides crucial information about figures including Pontius Pilate, John the Baptist, James brother of Jesus, and Jesus himself. Later historians consider it the primary source alongside biblical texts for understanding first-century Judaism and early Christianity.
Completed around 93 or 94 AD during Domitian's reign, Antiquities of the Jews spans twenty-one volumes covering creation to Josephus's own time. He claimed to write this history because others had perverted truth about Jewish actions in their writings. Drawing from Hebrew Scriptures and eyewitness accounts, he presented biblical figures as ideal philosopher-leaders who resisted monarchy. Louis H. Feldman notes that while Josephus stated chronological order, his actual organization was systematic rather than strictly temporal. The work extends beyond political history to include institutions, religious practices, and private life. It serves as an apologia defending Jewish antiquity against Greek critics while explaining basic Judean laws to a Gentile audience unfamiliar with them.
Christian interest in Josephus grew significantly during the fourth century when works became widely accessible throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Latin translations often appeared in abbreviated forms such as Pseudo-Hegesippus's version of The Jewish War. Printing technology improvements led to vernacular translations including Thomas Lodge's first English edition published in 1602. William Whiston's 1732 translation based on Greek texts achieved enormous popularity among English-speaking Christians. On the Jewish side, rabbinical authorities largely ignored Josephus until Isaac Abarbanel differentiated compositions centuries later. An Italian Jew writing in the tenth century revived interest through Yosippon which paraphrased Latin versions. By the nineteenth century Haskalah brought neutral translations allowing Jews to reinterpret Masada's last stand as inspiring rather than fanatical. Kalman Schulman created a Hebrew translation of Greek text in 1863 though many rabbis still preferred older versions.
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Common questions
Who was Flavius Josephus and what were his family origins?
Flavius Josephus was born in Jerusalem to a father named Matthias from the priestly order of Jehoiarib and an aristocratic mother claiming descent from the Hasmonean dynasty. He grew up wealthy and educated alongside his older brother, also named Matthias.
What happened to Flavius Josephus during the First Jewish Roman War around AD 66?
Flavius Josephus took command of Jewish forces in Galilee and trained 65,000 troops while facing internal division between cities like Sepphoris and Tiberias. He eventually surrendered to Flavius Vespasian in July 67 AD after retreating from the siege of Yodfat where he proposed collective suicide for forty companions.
How did Flavius Josephus gain freedom and citizenship from Emperor Vespasian?
Emperor Vespasian freed Flavius Josephus as a gesture of gratitude after Josephus predicted that Vespasian would become emperor during their captivity at Yodfat. The new emperor granted him Roman citizenship along with accommodation in Judaea and a pension before he adopted the family name Flavius.
When did Flavius Josephus write The Jewish War and what does it cover?
Flavius Josephus wrote The Jewish War between AD 75 and 78 as a seven-volume account in Greek covering events from the Maccabees through the fall of Jerusalem and subsequent sieges of Herodion and Masada. The text provides crucial information about figures including Pontius Pilate, John the Baptist, James brother of Jesus, and Jesus himself.
What is the scope and purpose of Antiquities of the Jews completed around 93 or 94 AD?
Antiquities of the Jews spans twenty-one volumes covering creation to Flavius Josephus's own time while serving as an apologia defending Jewish antiquity against Greek critics. It extends beyond political history to include institutions, religious practices, and private life alongside explanations of basic Judean laws for a Gentile audience.