Josephus, also known as Flavius Josephus (c. 37-c. 100) was a 1st century Jewish historian of priestly ancestry who survived and recorded the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 and settled in Rome. He was originally known as Yosef Ben-Matityahu (Matthias in Greek).
Josephus wrote an account of the war addressed to the Jewish community in Mesopotamia in the Aramaic language. He then wrote a history in Greek covering a broader period - from the Maccabees to the fall of Jerusalem. This book, the Jewish War, appeared by 79. The majority of the book is based on the events of his own life, including those of his own administrative and military experience.
The Jewish Antiquities, (written c. 94 in Greek) is a history of the Jews from the Creation to the outbreak of the war in the late 60s. There is an autobiographical appendix defending Josephus' own conduct at the end of the war when he cooperated with the Roman forces of Vespasian and Titus Flavius. His account, while parallel to the Old Testament, is not identical to it. There has been speculation that the differences are due to Josephus' access to ancient texts (perhaps going back to Nehemiah) which survived the destruction of the Temple. Since Josephus was close to the Roman leaders, he may have received permission to recover and retain some or all of those texts, as he indicates. On the other hand, credible arguments have been made that the Dead Sea scrolls are partially or entirely Temple sacred scrolls from Jerusalem hidden in various sites around the Dead Sea to protect them against possible destruction by the Romans. The two possibilities are not completely mutually exclusive, so both may be (partially) true.
Josephus' Against Apion is a defense of Judaism as classical religion and philosophy, stressing its antiquity against what Josephus pointed out was the relatively more recent traditions of the Greeks. Some anti-Semitic allegations by Apion, and myths as old as Manetho's are exposed there as well.
Jews have had mixed feelings about Josephus. He was unquestionably an important apologist in the Roman world for the Jewish religion, particularly at a time of major upheaval. His history of the Great Jewish Revolt, though questionable, contradictory or self-serving in many places, is an important source of information for the events of that time. Nevertheless, his personal conduct during the war is a point of contention because he abandoned his position as a rebel officer and joined the Roman camp. He was granted Roman citizenship and a pension in Rome and was well accepted at the courts of Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. His works are, therefore, suspected by many of being biased in favor of his Imperial patrons, particularly Titus. Later in life he returned to his Jewish roots.
Antiquities of the Jews
Preface to the Antiquities of the Jews
Book I -- From Creation to the Death of Isaac
Book II -- From the Death of Isaac to the Exodus
out of Egypt
Book III -- From the Exodus out of Ehypt to the
Rejection of the Generation
Book IV -- From the Rejection of that Generation
to the Death of Moses
Book V -- From the Death of Moses to the Death
of Eli
Book VI -- From the Death of Eli to the Death of
Saul
Book VII -- From the Death of Saul to the Death
of David
Book VIII -- From the Death of David to the Death
of Ahab
Book IX -- From the Death of Ahab to the Captivity
of the Ten Tribes
Book X -- From the Captivity of the Ten Tribes
to the First Year of Cyrus
Book XI -- From the First Year of Cyrus to the
Death of Alexander the Great
Book XII -- From the Death of Alexander the Great
to the Death of Judas Maccabeus
Book XIII -- From the Death of Judas Maccabeus
to the Death of Queen Alexandra
Book XIV -- From the Death of Queen Alexandra
to the Death of Antigonus
Book XV -- From the Death of Antigonus to the
Finishing of the Temple by Herod
Book XVI -- From the Finishing of the Temple by
Herod to the Death of Alexander and Aristobulus
Book XVII -- From the Death of Alexander and Aristobulus
to the Banishment of Archelaus
Book XVIII -- From the Banishment of Archelaus
to the Departure of the Jews from Babylon
Book XIX -- From the Departure of the Jews from
Babylon to FAdus the Roman Procurator
Book XX -- From Fadus the Procurator to Florus
War of the Jews
Preface to the War of the Jews
Book I -- From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus
Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great
Book II -- From the Death of Herod till Vespasian
was sent to subdue the Jews by Nero
Book III -- From Vespasian's coming to Subdue the
Jews to the Taking of Gamala
Book IV -- From the Siege of Gamala to the Coming
of Titus to besiege Jerusalem
Book V -- From the Coming of Titus to besiege Jerusalem
to the Great Extremity to which the Jews were reduced
Book VI -- From the Great Extremity to which the
Jews were reduced to the taking of Jerusalem by Titus
Book VII -- From the Taking of Jerusalem by Titus
to the Sedition of the Jews at Cyrene
Flavius Josephus Against Apion
Book I
Book II
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