The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

on the contrary, it follows as a consequence of Josephus’ stated outlook that he also wishes to
associate with the Romans.
As logical as the Tiberians were in their aversion to Josephus’ policy, so [illogical] were
they [when it came] to the question, with whose help did they intend to free themselves from
the pressure that weighed upon them due to the cleverness of Josephus’ policy. After John had
failed, and after Agrippa had not appeared early enough, the Tiberians made an attempt with
the delegation sent from Jerusalem, which was to dismiss Josephus. Once again [we have] the
same underlying perception as on the previous occasions: the Tiberians attempt ἀποστῆναί
μου (273), by joining the delegates: τὴν πόλιν ... ἐκείνοις προστεθειμένην (314). Josephus, on
the other hand, again manages to occupy the town by force and he investigates, οἵτινες εἶεν
αἴτιοι τῆς ἀποστάσεως (331). The Tiberians promise to atone for their errors of the past by
loyalty to Josephus in the future: τῇ μετὰ ταῦτα πρὸς ἐμὲ πίστει (333). This here concerns
only his [own] person, not, for example, a common cause of the Jews.
Shortly thereafter this view was to undergo a fundamental change. When the Tiberians
repeat their attempt to join Agrippa (381 - 389), Josephus now no longer feels as the one
deceived: the Galileans denounce the town of Tiberias as a “traitor and friend to the King” that
deserves destruction (384). Josephus, however, aims at a compromise even though he knows
that the Tiberians “have become traitors to our freedom” (386); still, he also knows that
Tiberias is not the only hotbed of plans to betray the people; these are in fact shared by the
“principal and [119] best known men in Galilee”. Whoever speaks with such feelings about the
δοκιμώτατοι ἐν Γαλιλαίᾳ (386), no longer differs in his policy from the zealots who “plunder
the houses of the powerful men in the land and kill [the men] themselves” (War 2.265); for the
law-abiding and patriotic zealots could rightly invoke Deuteronomy 13:13 ff. when they set fire
to the houses of those who recognized and supported the godless foreign rule, and hauled
these [“traitors”] themselves off to death. Granted, Josephus was able to prevent the fulfilment
of such intentions by a ruse and in this way saved Tiberias once again. But we do see that the
trend of the zealots has now prevailed in Galilee, and that Josephus, who increasingly based his
power on them, must operate within their system of thought [Gedankengängen]. How long will
it last until the zealots could no longer be contained, and demanded from their protégé
Josephus the fulfilment of their plans? One grasps more and more clearly the evolution that
Josephus had to follow since the moment when he deported his fellow envoys to Jerusalem and
105