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Flavius Josephus

Titus Flavius Josephus (36-100 CE), was born Yosef ben Matityahu and became a 1st-century CE Jewish historian. He was a member of a priestly household in Jerusalem through his father’s side (the house and order of Jehoiarib), and his mother was of royal descent (Hasmonean). He was educated in Jerusalem and most likely shared ideology and sympathy with the party of the Pharisees.

The writings of Josephus are crucially important for several disciplines: Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE, background sources for the early history of Christianity, historical details of the client kings of the Roman Empire in the East, and the line of the Julio-Claudian emperors in Rome. In the last decades of the 1st century CE, he wrote The Jewish War (c. 75 CE), Antiquities of the Jews (c. 95 CE), Against Apion (c. 97 CE), and The Life of Flavius Josephus (c. 99 CE).

Josephus & the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE

As a member of the Jerusalem aristocracy, in 64 CE, Josephus traveled to Rome to negotiate with Roman emperor Nero (r. 54-68 CE) for the release of some Jewish priests who were being held hostage for various reasons. When he returned to Jerusalem, the party of the Zealots had convinced the majority of the Jews to revolt against Rome. Josephus was appointed the military governor of Galilee. In relation to the revolt, the cities of Galilee were divided, some adhering to the authority of the Roman government while others had joined the forces of the rebel John of Gischala.

With some success in organizing the Galilee, all victories were lost when Nero appointed the general Vespasian (r. 69-79 CE) to invade the region. Josephus was under siege in the hill town of Jotapata (Yodfat). He and 40 others were trapped in a cave. According to his version of the story, he suggested that they commit collective suicide, rather than be slaves of Rome. They drew lots to help kill each other. Josephus and one other man were left. This is when Josephus changed his mind and surrendered. While awaiting execution, he reminded Vespasian that all Jews had the gift of prophecy and predicted that Vespasian would become the next emperor of Rome.

Josephus claimed that he had a vision that explained the tide of the war: God (as in the past in the conquests of the Jews by the Assyrians and Babylonians) used the Romans to punish Israel for its sins. Fortune (fate) was now on the side of the Romans with God’s help, and Josephus’ role was to announce what had happened to the rebelling Jews.

From this point on, Josephus served as a consultant to the Roman forces. When Vespasian left to successfully challenge other contenders after the death of Nero, his son Titus (r. 79-81 CE) took over the siege of Jerusalem. Josephus and Titus developed a close relationship. During the siege, Josephus pleaded with the Zealots who had taken over the Temple complex and the city to surrender. In 70 CE, the Roman army broke through, and the Temple complex was destroyed as well as the main parts of the city. Josephus claimed that Titus never intended to destroy the Temple, but that it was the result of a fire started by accident by one of the soldiers.

After the war, he was rewarded for his service by moving to a former house of Vespasian (Titus Flavius Vespasianus) in Rome and adopted his name along with his patronage. While in Rome, he had access to Roman records and archives from which to gather his sources for his histories.

Josephus on Christianity

Titus Flavius Josephus (36-100 CE), the Jewish historian, is the main source for understanding Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE. In the last decades of the 1st century CE, he wrote The Jewish War, the Antiquities of the Jews, Against Apion, and The Life of Flavius Josephus. His histories and eyewitness testimonies remain essential to the study of the historical context that gave rise to the origins of Christianity.

Josephus

Flavius Josephus was born Yosef ben Matityahu, a member of a priestly household in Jerusalem through his father’s side (the house and order of Jehoiarib), and his mother was of royal descent (Hasmonean). He was educated in Jerusalem and most likely shared ideology and sympathy with the party of the Pharisees.

During the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE, Josephus was appointed the commander of Galilee. He became famous (and infamous) for changing sides during the siege at Jotapata. He successfully predicted that the Roman commander, Vespasian (r. 69-79 CE), would become the next Roman emperor. Vespasian spared his life, and Josephus spent the rest of the war as a consultant to Vespasian’s son Titus (r. 79-81 CE), who ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple complex in the year 70 CE. After the war, Josephus moved to Rome where he had access to archives and wrote his histories.

The writings of Josephus are crucially important for several disciplines: Second Temple Judaism in the 1st century CE, background sources for early Christianity, historical details of the client kings of the Roman Empire in the East, and the line of the Julio-Claudian emperors in Rome. Considered one of the greatest traitors by Jews, Christians were the ones who preserved his writings for posterity. This is because he wrote about John the Baptist, reported the death of Jesus’ brother, James, and provided a passage on Jesus himself.

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