Flavius Josephus

Flavius Josephus

Flavius Josephus (37-100) was a first-century Jewish historian, who recorded the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

In 64, Josephus went to Rome to negotiate the release of several priests who were held hostage by the emperor Nero. When he and the priests returned to Jerusalem, the great Jewish revolt broke out in 66. He was chosen by the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem to be commander-in-chief in Galilee.
In the summer of 67, the Romans stormed the citadel. Most of the patriots were put to the sword, but Josephus escaped the massacre by hiding in an inaccessible cistern, and emerged only after receiving an assurance that his life would be spared.

Brought before the victorious general Vespasian, Josephus foretold his elevation, as well as that of his son Titus, to the imperial dignity. Vespasian, however, kept him as a prisoner. In 69, Vespasian became emperor, and restored liberty to Josephus.

As a freedman of Vespasian, Josephus assumed, in accordance with the Roman custom, the former¡¯s family name of Flavianus. He accompanied the emperor as far as to Egypt. When the emperor handed over to his son the prosecution of the Jewish War, Josephus was an eyewitness of the destruction of the Holy City and the Temple.

His works were written in elegant Greek to influence the educated class of his time, and free them from various prejudices against Judaism.

The first work of Josephus was the ¡®Jewish War¡¯ in seven books. This is mainly based on his memoranda made during the war of independence (66-73), on the memoirs of Vespasian, and on letters of King Agrippa. This work furnishes the historical background for numerous historical romances, including ¡®Lucius Flavius¡¯ by J. Spillmann, and ¡®The End of Juda¡¯ by Anton de Waal.

Josephus¡¯ second work, the ¡®Jewish Antiquities,¡¯ contains in twenty books the whole history of the Jews from the Creation to the outbreak of the revolt in 66. In the first 10 volumes, he follows the events of the historical books of the Hebrew Bible beginning with the creation of Adam and Eve. The second 10 volumes continue the history of the Jewish people beyond the biblical text and up to the Jewish War.