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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added segments illustrates best what I mean here as well!<br />
When <strong>Josephus</strong> returns from Rome he attempts to bring the rebels to their senses in<br />
that he pointed out to them Rome’s power and good luck; they should not frivolously provoke<br />
[such] formidable danger. “I emphasized this” – so he continues – “because I foresaw that the<br />
end of the war would be disastrous for us”(19). Here <strong>Josephus</strong> quite manifestly has the matter<br />
itself clearly in mind even though he does not use the expression ‘the <strong>Jewish</strong> War’; he senses<br />
that this is the eve of the war that was to bring about the downfall of the Jews – but section 19<br />
belongs to the introduction that continues until section 27, which originated after the year<br />
100. This also explains section 24 where <strong>Josephus</strong> likewise has the war clearly in mind when he<br />
writes the phrase, “Cestius’ defeat became a disaster for our whole people”.<br />
In section 32 ff. concerning Justus, <strong>Josephus</strong> is also aware of the concept of the <strong>Jewish</strong>-<br />
Roman War when he explains that the Tiberians were split into three factions, of which one<br />
was for [remaining] loyal to Rome, while the second was decided upon war, and the third only<br />
pretended to have misgivings about the war. This part [of the text], however, did not emerge<br />
until after the year 100 (cf. page 37 ff.).<br />
[101] Likewise, there is an addition in section 100 (cf. page 87 ff.); here <strong>Josephus</strong> expresses the<br />
expectation that the Romans would be pleased if the Jews were to mangle themselves within a<br />
mutual στάσεις; therefore <strong>Josephus</strong> attempts to calm all strife. Thus he evidently has the<br />
feeling here that the Romans were the common foe of all Jews, who must therefore stand<br />
together harmoniously in order to overcome their powerful foe. Without a doubt, the idea of<br />
“the War” is present in this addition as well.<br />
<strong>The</strong> same holds for section 177. Here <strong>Josephus</strong> is working with the concept πρὸ τοῦ<br />
πολέμου, thereby thinking again of the great <strong>Jewish</strong>-Roman War which had begun before his<br />
arrival from Jerusalem. This section 177, however, because [it is a] segment concerning Justus,<br />
has also already proven to be an addition on page 48 ff. above; according to the evidence<br />
produced there, this [addition] extended to section 188; so the latter passage also ceases to<br />
apply to the administrative report. In this [passage] we distinctly sense that <strong>Josephus</strong> is<br />
thinking likewise of the <strong>Jewish</strong> War in the form that is familiar to us when he describes the<br />
extensive construction of the fortifications, 34 the stockpiling of provisions etc., which he has<br />
34 Since we here have a segment added from the time after 100, <strong>Josephus</strong> lists Tarichea first and<br />
then Tiberias. This agrees with the later segments Life 144 and 156 but does contradict the view<br />
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