The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

established a position for himself that drew its power from his relationship with the zealots
and the robbers. He, who had been sent to Galilee in order to disarm them, ultimately became
their leader. The word “war” or anything at all that is associated with it still does not occur
even now; but it is still significant that Josephus’ appointment as commander of Galilee is
reported (310 ff.) between the next to last defection of the Tiberians (273), which was directed
only against the person of Josephus, and the last [defection] in which Josephus saw an offence
against the freedom of the Jews (381 ff.). That which up to now had affected him personally
has, as a result, become a concern of the Jews.
We notice a very similar evolution with respect to Sepphoris. From the outset this town
was basically friendly to the Romans and therefore remained neutral in the entire conflict
between Josephus and John (124; 232). Since it is this antagonism, however, that initially
determines all of Josephus’ doings, he therefore is not necessarily malevolently inclined
towards the town; on the contrary, he protects it when it is attacked because of its Romanfriendly
attitude (30/31). And even the authorities in Jerusalem see absolutely nothing
questionable in this attitude of [120] Sepphoris; for the delegation debates Josephus’ qualities
quite calmly with the Sepphorites. In so doing the Sepphorites, for their part, have no guilty
conscience with respect to the Jewish envoys (232). All this demonstrates that initially it could
in no way have been the issue of the “war” that determined Josephus’ policy in Galilee. At the
end of the writing the view shifts slightly: When the Sepphorites find Josephus otherwise
occupied, they – relying upon the strength of their walls – request that Cestius Gallus occupy
their town. Josephus, however, pre-empts him, occupies Sepphoris (373 ff.) and this evolves
into a genuine battle against the Romans (394 ff.). Once again the nomination of Josephus as
strategos of Galilee comes between the appearance of the delegation in Sepphoris, which
showed itself to be friendly to the Romans without any misgivings, and Josephus’ attack on
Sepphoris on account of its attempt to join Rome. Thus the reversal in the relationships must
have set in at this time: the zealots and the robbers have now firmly established Josephus’
position by means of their power and are therefore in a position to push him towards a more
active policy in accordance with theirs: we, from posterity, see the dawning of the battle
against Rome, the great decisive war, but when Josephus composed his administrative report
he did not even remotely imagine that the skirmishes with the Romans that set in at the end of
the writing formed a part of the war that was to end with the destruction of Jerusalem. The
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