The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

he wished to cover something up and what he wished to cover up is revealed exactly by the
nature of the falsification: the beginning of the war was shifted to an earlier time
and Josephus was made strategos against Rome from the outset, since in truth
his role at the outbreak of the war was not so unobjectionable as it then would
inevitably appear had the war erupted long ago. The falsification in the War is
explained solely if Josephus, in truth, was blamed for the war during his
activity in Galilee, and if he wished to deny this later.
Josephus had realized a complete success by the recognition of his status in Galilee on
the part of the government in Jerusalem; but it has already been noted that he owed this
success only to the robbers standing behind him and it was an almost inevitable consequence
that the robbers, for their part, were aware of their power with respect to Josephus as well.
Jerusalem was not capable of doing anything more against them; this had been clearly proven
by the last events, and Josephus stood or fell with these [robbers]. Under these circumstances
we understand it when the robbers, now for their part, made demands on Josephus and we can
have no doubt about the nature [of these demands]: the slogan of the predominant nationalists
was “battle against Rome” and it is well known that they held sway. They forced 86 Josephus,
who was now totally dependent upon them, [253] to bear the banner of the revolt against
Rome. After he had become a rebel against Jerusalem and had forced his recognition [by
Jerusalem], he was compelled to organize the defection from Rome!
Only now do we understand the shifts in the War: Josephus wishes to clear himself of
the heavy guilt with which, in truth, he has burdened himself; therefore he claims that the
dice for war and peace had been cast long ago, he had already been sent by Jerusalem as the
commander against Rome. But his old administrative report proves him a liar and shows to the
contrary what a good measure of guilt falls upon Josephus’ [shoulders]. Granted he was only
swept up into a pre-existing movement, but instead of combating this as he had been
instructed, he exploited it for his own purposes until he was finally swept away by the
movement itself.
Josephus leads the rebellion in Galilee and the Romans turn against him as the actual
leader: it is well known that he was surrounded in Jotapata and was captured by Vespasian. It
is no less definite that he now betrayed the movement, which he himself had led, and that he
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