The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

us the answer. It was he who pushed his book about the Jewish War, which he had already
finished long before, onto the market after Agrippa’s death in the year 100. The work was
composed in a brilliant style and must therefore have attracted enormous acclamation and
tremendous sales. Justus had addressed himself to people of “Greek education”; the work was
intended for them. And what might Epaphroditus, Ptolemy and their circle have said about its
appearance? The deferential way in which Josephus repeatedly acknowledges his opponent’s
stylistic superiority is probably less the result of his own judgment than an echo of the
opinions that he must have constantly heard there.
First he defends his Greek in the parts composed at that time: I, too, have a command of
the Greek language, albeit only in written usage; my pronunciation leaves something to be
desired since I am a foreigner (Ant. 20.263). But what is more, while composing the War I have
availed myself of Greek assistants (C. Ap. 1.50) and the best proof of the intelligibility of my
writing is that Vespasian, Titus and Agrippa — all [three] men who stood at the height of Greek
education, have read it with pleasure (Life 359). Nevertheless, in rhetorical achievement Justus
is superior to me (C. Ap. 1.27) and relying upon this he has attacked me as if this had been
assigned to him as a school theme for a rhetorical exercise (C. Ap. 1.53), by fulfilment of which
one could distinguish oneself (C. Ap. 1.25), indeed even acquire the prize of φιλόπονος (Life
338). But in truth he is a scoundrel, a twister of history and a liar, who could not even tell the
truth about his own fatherland (Life 338), and who always only felt that he was above the truth
by virtue of his rhetorical education (Life 40). So I, against whom false report has been spread,
must perforce defend myself (Life 336): I derive my suitability as [34] writer of the history of
the Jewish War from the fact that I, in contrast to Justus, (C. Ap. 1.45 and elsewhere) constantly
took part in the war and have been informed about each and every thing through the best
sources (C. Ap. 1.47 ff.). One should but read for once Agrippa’s letter (Life 365), which upholds
my precise investigation against all doubt. But I also derive my legitimacy as the historian of
the Jewish War from my capacity as a Jew; for no people has upheld historical tradition so
much as the Jews who are prepared to die for it (C. Ap. 1.42 ff.). While Justus berates other
historians, thus doing something that is contrary to the essence of the science of history (C. Ap.
1.26), we stand for the unity and purity of tradition. But if the accuracy of my historiography
depends to such an extent upon my Jewish lineage and my acknowledged status among the
Jews, then it is necessary that one learn about my family and me (Ant. 20.266). Thus the Life
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