The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

agency of the current vice-regent of Agrippa’s kingdom by the name of Varus. This man fears
that his position will be shaken by the escape and return of Philip, who was held in high
esteem by Agrippa, and [so] he intercepts Philip’s letter.
[44] In his plans he is above all also impelled by the hope of acquiring Agrippa’s kingdom
one day. In order to do the Syrians a favour and start up the battle they desired against the
Babylonian Jews in “Ecbatana”, as the settlement had been named, Varus sends 12 Jews from
Caesarea to Ecbatana with the mandate to explain to the Babylonians that Varus had heard
about a strike planned by the Babylonians against Agrippa; he therefore demanded that they
lay down their weapons and send 70 envoys who were to render an account of the
Babylonians’ conduct. These 70 envoys were in fact sent to Caesarea, however Varus kills all
but one and prepares the attack against the Babylonians. But the one [envoy] escapes to
Ecbatana and discloses the incidents and the impending attack, whereupon the Babylonians
with women and children flee to Gamala. It is there that Philip reaches them and with
considerable effort dissuades them from their plan to engage in battle against Varus. When
Agrippa hears about Varus’ conduct, he removes him from office and appoints Aequus Modius
as his successor. This report is again immediately connected to Life 114: the leader named by
Agrippa, Aequus Modius, moves against Gamala and lays siege to the town in which Philip was
to be found among the Babylonian Jews who had wished to begin the battle against Agrippa’s
commander.
The next passage is to be found at 179 ff.: Philip, Jacimus’ son had departed from
Gamala. In fact he had heard about the dismissal of Varus and the appointment of Aequus
Modius who was his friend. He took advantage of this circumstance in order to finally have his
letters, which had been previously intercepted by Varus, reach Agrippa through the agency of
[Aequus Modius]. Agrippa saw that all the gossip about Philip, [namely] that he wanted to lead
the Jews in waging war against the Romans, was false and he summoned Philip to his presence.
After a friendly reception Agrippa issues Philip the order to return now to Gamala and from
there to relocate with the Babylonians back to Ecbatana. Philip did as he was commanded.
Clearly we have here before us a report that is inherently quite uniform, forming an
integrated whole; the theme reads roughly: the colony of the Babylonian Jews and their
particular fate under Philip. But what do these things have in common with [45] the selfportrayal
of Josephus who never came into contact with them? Nothing, absolutely
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