The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

victorious students who proved to be φιλόπονοι, i.e. they had distinguished themselves
precisely in the manner that Justus strove to appear to follow, according to Josephus. That
Josephus was truly thinking here of the school competitions is apparent from the fact that he
referred to the γύμνασμα ἐν σχολῇ μειρακίων (C. Ap. 1.53) in the same context (cf. p. 20). The
concept spread from the academic environment to literature, and Nicolaus (F.H.G. 3.350 f.),
when he had brought his work to completion, referred with pride to his φιλοπονία, which
enabled him to accomplish an achievement that would have daunted even a Hercules. Now, if
Justus truly proves to be φιλόπονος in his works – as he had aspired – then his historical work
is accordingly commended to his readership in order to damage the older presentation of
Josephus in the same way that the victors in the school competition for φιλοπονία gained an
advantage over their inferior companions. [11] For this reason, such aspiration for the renown
of φιλοπονία is extremely closely connected to disparagement of the opponent, an
opportunity for which Justus also did not overlook.
Josephus addresses him in 357, “You have the impudence to claim that you have
recounted the history better (ἄμεινον) than all others.” Justus’ words are produced verbatim
once again by Josephus in 359 (εἰ δὲ θαρρεῖς ἄμεινον ἁπάντων συγγεγραφέναι): apparently
they stem from the preface of Justus who, following the example of Anaximenes and
Theopompus (frg. 25 Grenfell-Hunt), wished to justify right away why he had added a new
presentation to those already in existence. Josephus believes that he can repudiate the claim
raised by Justus by demonstrating how inadequate the factual credibility of his writing must
be; thus he reinterprets the ἄμεινον of Justus by the term ἀκρίβεια (e.g. 358; 360 etc.) or
ἀλήθεια (367). Surely this was not what Justus had in mind, for we learn from section 40 that
he had intended to exert his effect by means of his expert rhetorical education. Josephus
himself must admit to Justus’ mastery of rhetoric (καὶ γὰρ οὐδ’ ἄπειρος ἦν παιδείας τῆς παρ’
Ἕλλησιν), but he accuses Justus of feeling entitled to flout the truth by virtue of this formal
education (ὡς τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ περιεσόμενος τῆς ἀληθείας). Thus Justus had reproached – we
may again assume in his preface – previously published literature for its stylistic inadequacy;
only he among the authors in question had acquired the necessary Greek culture that enabled
one to write to the full satisfaction of educated readers.
That the key phrase Ἑλληνικὴ παιδεία did in fact appear in Justus’ preface can be
proven in another way: Josephus addresses Justus in 359, “If you insolently claim to have
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