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History |
 Flavius Josephus
This famous Jewish historian was bor n AD 37, at Jerusalem, and died about AD 101. He belonged to a distinguished priestly family, whose paternal ancestors he himself traces back five generations (his mother's family claimed descent from the Maccabeans). He received a good education, and by associating with distinguished scholars, he developed his intellectual gifts. He also made himself fully acquainted with and tried the leading political-religious Jewish parties of his age--the Essenes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Impressed by the outward importance of the Pharisees and hoping to secure through them a position of influence, he joined their party at the age of nineteen, although he shared neither their religious nor political views. Life in Rome and Jewish Wars Josephus went to Rome in the year AD 64 with the object of procuring from Nero the release of some imprisoned Jewish priests, who were friends of his. While in Rome, he became thoroughly impressed with Roman life and began to stray from the spirit of strict Judaism. After his return to Jerusalem, the great Jewish Revolt broke out in the year AD 66 (they lasted from 66 to 74). Like most of the aristocratic Jews, Josephus at first was against the rebellion of his countrymen. When, however, fortune seemed to favour the Jewish rebels, Josephus like the rest of the priestly nobility joined them, and was chosen by the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem to be commander-in-chief in Galilee. In the beginning the Jews were successful, but later when the Roman General Vespasian advanced with the main army from Antioch to Galilee, burning and murdering, the insurgents either fled or sought shelter in their fortresses. For six weeks Josephus and the other zealous Jews defended themselves in the almost impregnable fortress of Jotapata. In the summer of 67, the garrison being now exhausted from lack of water and other necessaries, 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. Because he predicted that Vespasian would become emperor, as well as that of his son Titus, but Vespasian kept him as a prisoner. However, in the year 69, after Vespasian had actually become emperor, he restored to Josephus his liberty. Patronage of the Flavians As a freedman of Vespasian, Josephus assumed in accordance with the Roman custom the former's family name of Flavianus or Flavius. He accompanied the emperor as far as Egypt, when the latter had handled over to his son the prosecution of the Jewish War, but then joined the retinue of Titus, and was an eyewitness of the destruction of the Holy City (Jerusalem) and her Temple in AD 70. At his personal risk he had tried to persuade the Jews to surrender. After the fall of the city he went to Rome with Titus, and took part in the latter's triumph. But these scenes did not trouble Josphus's sense of national honour; on the contrary, he accepted the privilege of civitus Romanum (Roman citizenship) in recognition of his services, and was granted a yearly stipend and also lands in Judea. The succeeding emperors, Titus and his cruel brother Domitian, also showed themselves kindly disposed towards Josephus, and conferred on him many marks of distinction. Josephus' works were written in elegant Greek, to explain the Jews and Judaism to the Romans, as well as explain the Romans to the Jewish people. Mention of Abila (Ant. 12.3.136) "'He also saith, in the same book, that 'when Scopus was conquered by Antiochus, Antiochus received Batanea and Samaria, and Abila and Gadara . . .'" |
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