The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation
The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation
The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation
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speech (chapter II.1). Indeed, the Life serves this purpose exclusively (Ant. 20.263 ff.), and when<br />
it is therefore introduced by a presentation of <strong>Josephus</strong>’ ancestry and the course of his<br />
education in the various <strong>Jewish</strong> schools, among which he ultimately joined the Pharisees (Life 1<br />
- 12), then this entire material is provided only in order to be able to save his own work from<br />
Justus by virtue [of the fact] that <strong>Josephus</strong> is proven to be the preserver of <strong>Jewish</strong> tradition in<br />
comparison to the Hellenizing Justus. So a very obvious bias is inherent in this information,<br />
and wherever <strong>Josephus</strong> has a bias he is in the habit of not dealing very precisely with the truth.<br />
One will not be able to detect easily the details of how far truth and fiction have been<br />
intermingled in Life 1 - 12; however, one should indeed be aware that despite the apparently<br />
superb testimonial [value] of just this material, which is indiscriminately taken as a basis [by<br />
those who] faithfully retell everything [according to] <strong>Josephus</strong>, it is absolutely the most<br />
unsound and unreliable.<br />
Compared to such unsound evidence and compared to the biographic essays based<br />
upon it, I believe that by the explanations in this book I have demonstrated that a totally<br />
different material can be provided, admittedly only indirectly, yet still with a more compelling<br />
line of argument. During the various periods of his life <strong>Josephus</strong> presented the things that he<br />
experienced as well as the earlier history of the Jews and Romans in a totally varying fashion,<br />
not on the basis of any new sources but rather because he himself had gained a different view<br />
of things. <strong>Josephus</strong>’ inner development is truly reflected in these different views<br />
and so from the different [247] conceptions of things we obtain the material<br />
with which we can embark upon a genuine portrayal of <strong>Josephus</strong>’ life.<br />
Admittedly, we may not contribute anything about <strong>Josephus</strong>’ youth in this manner for we can<br />
trace the impressions that he acquired about the outside world only from [the point] where his<br />
literary activity began. <strong>The</strong>n, however, the material flows in rich abundance and even if this<br />
first attempt still remains incomplete, it is yet to be hoped that further research, which will<br />
adopt these paths, will be able to bridge the gaps.<br />
In Jerusalem <strong>Josephus</strong> held a prestigious position when his political career began in the<br />
26 th year of his life: in the year 64 he was sent to Rome on a diplomatic mission and he<br />
undoubtedly fulfilled his mission to the satisfaction of those who had commissioned him; for<br />
he had barely returned to Jerusalem when a new and particularly important responsibility was<br />
entrusted to him. In Galilee the armed masses had evolved into a great danger for the<br />
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