Josephus
Josephus (Flavius Iosephus) (b. AD 37/8)was a Greek historian but also a Jewish priest (see Jews) of aristocratic descent and largely Pharisaic education, and a political leader in pre-70 Jerusalem. Though a zealous defender of Jewish religion and culture, his writing is largely hostile to the various revolutionary groups, whom he regarded as responsible for the fall of the Temple: his theology centres on the idea that God was currently on the Romans' side. Participation in a delegation to Rome (c.64) impressed on him the impracticality of resistance. When the Jerusalem leaders put him in charge of Galilee, he played an ambiguous role. He was besieged at Jotapata, but when captured, evaded a suicide pact and, he claims, was freed when his prophecy of Vespasian's accession came true. He remained close to Titus until the fall of Jerusalem, making several attempts to persuade...
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