The Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus: A Biographical Investigation

Therefore, in Josephus’ course of action with respect to the robbers I see a repetition of
the procedure that had to be undertaken with respect to the Galatians in the third century
BCE. Polybius 36 informs us that the fear [110] of the Galatians was so great that the kings of
Syria had to resolve to pay them stipendia. Evidently these are the fee payments that are
mentioned in the Γαλατικά as attested in the inscriptions OGIS 223, 28: 37 by these [payments],
the Galatians were obligated [to refrain] from devastating the territory of the towns that paid
tribute. But an inscription (BCH 3 (1879) p. 388 ff. = Dittenberger Syll. 3 410) from Erythrae
referring to the Galatian circumstances touched upon [above] coincides almost completely 38
with Josephus’ comportment in section 77. Nine strategoi are commended in this [inscription]
because they provided protection and armaments (τῆς τε φυλακῆς καὶ τῶν ἐξοπλασιῶν
ἐπεμελήθησαν ῀ ὅπλων τε κατασκευῆς καὶ πόλεων ἐχυρότητος πρόνοιαν ἐποιούμην Josephus),
and because at great expenditure for peace they saved the land from devastation ῾δαπάνης
πρὸς εἰρήνην οὐκ ὀλίγης ἐν ἅπασιν διετήρησαν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὴν χώραν ἀκέραιον ῀
εἰρηνεύεσθαι γὰρ πρὸ πάντων τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ἐφρόντιζον Josephus), in that they took care of
collecting the money and delivering it to the barbarians (ἐπιμεληθέντες μὲν τῶν χρημάτων
συναγωγῆς τε καὶ ἀποστολῆς τοῖς περὶ Λεοννόριον βαρβάροις ἃ συνετάξατο ἡ πόλις ῀ ἄμεινον
εἶναι λέγων ἕκοντας ὀλίγα διδόναι μᾶλλον ἢ τὰς κτήσεις διαρπαζομένας ὑπ’ αὐτῶν περιορᾶν
Josephus). The Galileans truly could have decided [to bestow upon] Josephus an honourary
decree according to the model of the one which the Erythraeans, who were threatened by the
Celts, had dedicated to their strategoi. That there was also a provision with respect to the Celts
that kept them away from the land as long as fee payments were made can be inferred from
[the fact] that when Attalus first refused to pay the fees, [right] from the outset he anticipated
an attack and invasion of the Celts, which then did really occur (Polybius, loc. cit.). “By the
way – thus remarks Stähelin on page 15 quite rightfully – whoever sought reliable
protection for his rulership, or, having been dispossessed of his power, wished
to reassert himself, [111] found no greater effective help at that time than to
ally himself with the Galatians or to recruit mercenaries among them.” It is the
36
Livy 38.16.13: ut Syriae quoque ad postremum reges stipendium dare non abnuerent.
37 Correct in this form [in] Stähelin, Galater 2 page 15, whereas Dittenberger had tribute for a war
against the Celts in mind.
38 Just a brief reminder that the Roman emperors resorted to the same means [in dealing] with
the Goths in the third century. A comprehensive assessment of the material is to be desired.
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