The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

viewing the Great War as a [single] uniform era beginning in the year 66. Josephus’ rebellion in
Galilee follows the earlier movements of the robbers; it was first concluded with Josephus’
defeat; only then did the zealots continue their agitation in Jerusalem with such success, that a
new rebellion arises there as well, which the Romans were compelled to overcome. The Jewish
tradition that the government in Jerusalem is completely innocent [with respect] to the
rebellion is absolutely correct, and Josephus, who generates the impression in the War, that
already in 66 the government had sent him to Galilee as an organizer of the rebellion against
Rome, is perpetrating a monstrous falsification of history in order to cover up [255] his own
guilt, because even if there were two movements that we must separate in time, still the
second [movement] was a consequence of the first, and Josephus therefore meets with a good
part of the blame that Jerusalem was destroyed.
Nothing in this is changed either when he allowed himself to be misused during the
siege of Jerusalem [by trying] in the name of Titus to talk the town into a voluntary surrender.
He had no success with this attempt, but an indirect consequence would have been the
demoralization of the defendants; however, as a result he himself must have lost what
sympathy remained [for him] in Judaea. The moderate circles detested him; after all, he had so
shamefully deceived the trust, which had been placed in him when he was sent to Galilee, that
he first joined the robbers whom he was to disarm, that he turned himself into the master of
Galilee by means of these [robbers], and that he now organised the rebellion against Rome
after he had exacted the recognition of the government. The zealots, however, could no less
forget that he allowed himself to be pushed [around] and that he committed the worst [deed]
by acknowledging the rule of the Romans and by operating on their behalf. There was no place
for Josephus among his compatriots; the Roman emperor could take advantage of him all the
more [easily]. After all, he really had [Josephus] entirely in his power after [Josephus] had lost
the ground from under his feet in his homeland.
Josephus, the organiser of the rebellion, was appointed to recount the history of the
rebellion – but to recount it in the Roman spirit. The book receives the title of “The Jewish
War” and indicates already by this that it is a Romanoid [Römling] who is standing behind the
work (cf. 98 ff.); Titus and Vespasian and their protégé Agrippa were to take pleasure in the
work, the fighters on the Roman side were to be reminded of their achievements by this book.
But there is still more. At the borders of the empire unrest was threatening to break out among
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