Josephus (AD 37 – c. 100),
[2] also known as
Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph, son of Matthias) and, after he became a
Roman citizen, as
Titus Flavius Josephus,
[3] was a first-century
Jewish historian and
apologist of priestly and royal ancestry who survived and recorded the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
[4] His works give an important insight into first-century
Judaism.
Josephus was an important apologist in the Roman world for the Jewish people and culture, particularly at a time of conflict and tension. He always remained, in his own eyes, a loyal and law-observant Jew. He went out of his way both to commend Judaism to educated Gentiles, and to insist on its compatibility with cultured Graeco-Roman thought. He constantly contended for the antiquity of Jewish culture, presenting its people as civilised, devout and philosophical. Eusebius reports that a statue of Josephus was erected in Rome.[5]
Josephus's two most important works are The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94).[6] The Jewish War recounts the Jewish revolt against Rome (66–70). Antiquities of the Jews recounts the history of the world from a Jewish perspective. These works provide valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of early Christianity.[6]
Josephus, who introduced himself in Greek as "Iosepos (??s?p??), son of Matthias, an ethnic Jew, a priest from Jerusalem",[7] fought the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War of 66–73 as a Jewish military leader in Galilee. After the Jewish garrison of Yodfat was taken under siege, the Romans invaded, killing thousands; the survivors committed suicide.
