Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Social Science / Archaeology; History / Jewish; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

significant literature
The Life of Flavius Josephus or Autobiography of Flavius Josephus

The Life of Flavius Josephus is a very interesting book. It gives you an excellent insight into how people lived in the Middle East in the first century. ... Read more

Product Description
The ambitious later work of the Jewish historian and Roman citizen Flavius Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" is a work of twenty volumes that gives a massive account of Jewish culture, law, custom, and history over time. Beginning with the biblical creation of Adam and Eve, Josephus then writes of Abraham teaching Egyptians science, going through most of the great biblical figures and presenting them as philosophizing leaders of their times. Though some are omitted while others are added, Josephus ends only with the Jewish people living under the Roman emperor Flavius Domitian of his own day, around the year 96 AD. The author additionally enters into philosophical debates of his day, ultimately offering an apologia for the Jewish people's antiquity and significance. This text is also of significance for its reference to Jesus, the earliest known Jewish source citing his existence. Overall, "Antiquities of the Jews" provides historians with valuable and reliable material concerning Jewish history, the early Christian period, and Judaism's place in that Roman world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

At least it's free
It only has the table, none of the actual book, at least it was free.

Nothing
Again, as the above reviewers have noted, you get what you pay for. The preface and table of contents. Not a single word of which was written by Flavius Josephus.

Disappointingly little
As the first reviewer noted, this is little more than a table of contents for the full work, along with a preface and footnotes thereto. Hardly the full work at all. Most disappointing. Pity.
That said, at least the price was right: $0.00 .

Only a table of contents
I downloaded this version to Kindle for PC.I got what I paid for (free): a table of contents spanning a few pages and nothing else. ... Read more

Product Description
(Revised and expanded edition; commentary by Paul L. Maier) Unabridged. Includes harmony of Greek and English numbering systems, table of Jewish weights and measures, Old Testament text parallels, twenty full-page illustrations, and an updated index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

The New Complete Works of Josephus
This is an amazing addition when studying both Jewish history and the history of the world. It's an excellent, informative, concise work. The price, service, and speed of delivery were exemplary and the book arrived in perfect condition.

Interesting
I bought this for my Mother. I read a bit before I took it to her. I found it to be interesting not withstanding that I did not necessarily agree with his "take" on scripture.
When Christians read this they need to understand that this will not necessarily be in agreement with traditional Christian views. None the less, it is a great insight to how the Hebrew people thought.
I thought it was a very good historical view of Hebrew attitude and how it came about, at least from my Christian perspective. Knowing how people think helps to understand their reactions to others.
There were alot of good footnotes that helps Christians understand the Hebrew line of thinking.
I would recommend this highly to any one interested in history and understanding a different perspective on scripture.

The New Complete Works of Josephus
Well here is the "NEW" translation of The works of Josephus. I have the 1980 edition which I guess is the old version. The 1980 version reads very nice. The print is small but I love the old english used. It gives it an ancient feel, like you are really there! I have read some of the comparisons between the old and new and already see a problem. The new one has King Saul ruling a total of 40 years. 18 years while the prophet Samuel was alive and 22 years after his death. The old version has 18 years while Samuel lived and 2 years after his death for a total of 20 years. The current Hebrew version has only that Saul reigned 2 years. Which is correct? Well, from my many years of looking into the matter it was not possible that Saul reigned only 2 years.David was a youth when he fought Goliath and Saul was king at the time. David became King when he was 30. In the bible a youth is usually mean't to apply to a male under 20 years of age but more than 3 years old. So it could mean any age from around 3 years old to & including 19 years of age. This is known from the fact that when the men of war were numbered in the desert by Moses it was done from those 20 years on up. Thus at least 11 years passed from the fight with Goliath and David becoming king at 30 years old. This is arrived at by the fact that David reigned 40 years & died at 70& thus became king at 30. Therefore, much more than just 2 years passed. It is evident that Samuel died towards the end of Saul's reign. Saul went to a woman in the town of Endor, who was able to talk to the dead, to find out if he was going to be successful against the Philistines in the upcoming battle. She contacted Samuel in the hereafter to find out whether he was going to be successful or not. Well, according to all versions of the event Samuel had not to long ago died and was buried at Rammah where he lived. The women informed Saul, through Samuel's spirit, that he and his sons would lose the battle and die. Well he and his sons did in fact die in battle on Mt. Gilboa the next day. There was also many other events which took place that could not have all occurred within just 2 years. The Hebrew bible we have today only has a 2 year reign. There was probably a scribal error made when it was copied later on. It really was that 'Saul reigned 2 years [after Samuel's death and 18 with him]. The second half was somehow left out. The 40 year reign just does notfit into the time span of events and is way too long. So forget about the 40 year reign of Saul as stated in the new addition of Josephus. I would stick with the old version. I have found it to be fairly accurate in reference to the Old Testament !

Complete Works of Josephus
No library on the early history of the Jewish People is complete without this book. It is one of the view original source material about this subject.Easily understood translation.

Heavy reading but worthwhile
This work gives you a glimpse of historical Jewish life and settings.I wanted it mainly to look at circumstances during New Testament times. ... Read more

Product Description

Paint yourself into the picture of First Century Palestine.

You haven't completed your biblical understanding until you've traveled back to the lands where it all took place. Now you can hear the sounds and see the sights, meet the people who were there when it happened.

This comprehensive account from the legendary Jewish historian takes you right into the action, setting up the historical relevance of first-century events, taking you all the way from Creation to Roman occupation. In the process, Josephus provides substantial first-hand corroboration of the biblical record.

Most importantly, you'll meet the historical Jesus in Josephus' writings, as well as John the Baptist and other familiar faces. You'll be able to understand the background of the New Testament like never before.

Customer Reviews (25)

Unless you are not a serious student, this is too much and too serious.
If you are looking for a book in relation to the New Testament, it is not for you.

Valuable insight from Josephus, not the publisher
The publisher of this book has simply re-produced William Whiston's translation and placed it under there own name. The translation has been around for years, so some of the language is much like that of the King James Version Bible. The publisher does provide an introduction where they state that Antiquities 18.3.3 (otherwise known as the Testimonium Flavianum), previously was not viewed as evidence to the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth, but now (modern times) is accepted by almost ever scholar as authentic? The publisher is obviously not secular and numerous scholars, such as Earl Doherty, Bart Erdman, G.A. Wells, R. Joseph Hoffman, Richard Carrier, Roger Viklund and many others have showcased and documented the flaws and inconsistencies of this passage, as well as the infamous James reference found in Antiquities 20. So be sure to take the introduction with a grain of salt.

Josephus' work is paramount to understanding 1st Century Judea and the surrounding Roman Empire, along with the Jewish history he documented during his lifetime. The reproduction of his work is in an easy to read format and overall, the flow of the work is fluent and easy to follow along. However, bear in mind that there is nothing new offered in this translation, as its merely a reproduction of Whiston's work.

The maps and appendices in the back of book are much appreciated, as well as Josephus' history. The publisher has produced an affordable reproduction of Josephus' work compiled into one book which will always be appreciated, just don't be overtaken by the publisher's blatant dogmatic opinion of Josephus' work.

Josephus
This is a good book. It is quite good printed. the only case that dissapointed me is too small font.

silver
If you want to know more of the details of the history of the Jews, you will find this book very interesting. It is very hard to put it down once you start reading.I love getting into the details of the Israelites history, especially the wars, it is so much better than I thought it would be, I had thought about getting it for a longtime, I am so glad I did.

Historically Good - Jewish, Roman and Christian
Josephus the Complete Works by Thomas Nelson Publishers is historically good, a great history book. For anyone to write a book not that long after the resurrection of Christ was quite a feat in itself. It is big!

The downside is the font size, its so small and is hard to read. The book is Bible sized in length and so you can appreciate how long it takes to read, most people never get to the end, but browse the sections of history they are after.

It has been said quite accuraetly that some 'fact' are incorrect, but when your dealing with 1000s of names and places over a few millenial then your bound to make some mistakes and even with today search engines and searchable indexes errors can occur.

A truly gallient effort by a great historian who also fills in the gaps from the book of Malachi O/T to the book of Matthew N/T - 400 'missing' years.

God bless. Jesus is Lord. ... Read more

Product Description
The book may have numerous typos or missing text. It is not illustrated or indexed. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website. You can also preview the book there.Purchasers are also entitled to a trial membership in the publisher's book club where they can select from more than a million books for free.Original Publisher: A.C. Armstrong ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Roman Government
What more can be said about this work.If you are interested at all about the history of the Roman Empire and Jewish history during the time of Christ, this is the book to read.It gives insite to what the people at that time were experiencing.

Excellent Alongside of the Holy Bible
This book contains a comprehensive set of information with respect to Jewish history. Actually it starts off with its own account of creation, which runs in parallel with the Book of Genesis.

This book is not to be read like a novel, but it is to be used as a reference guide. It fills in and provides additional information, so that events recorded in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible can be better understood. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in preaching/teaching messages from the Old Testament. It will enable you to add more depth to your messages.

Good for those intersted in improving their knowledge of history for Bible Study
This book compiles the complete Works of Josephus including, Life of Flavius Josephus, War of the Jew, Antiquities of the Jews, Against Apion, and Discourse to the Greeks, all in one book. It is convenient to have it all together in one book, but it is big and heavy at 800 pages. I learned about this book in my bible study class, and it has been a good resource for understanding the time period of the life of Jesus better. If you do not know who he was, Josephus was a Jewish historian and a Pharissee during the 1st Century AD.It has useful cross-references and citations. The book Antiquities is the only one in this that delves into the Old Testament. He was considered by some a traitor for his work for the Romans, who sacked Jerusalem just 70 years after the the death of Jesus. So you have to keep that conflict in mind as you read his works. But he is honest about the internal fighting of the Jews.

Dry read, but informative
I use it more as a reference book to look up specific events. I don't have the fortitude to read it end to end. Interesting, nonetheless.

josephus
The book was in excellant condition however I just think I ordered the wrong book. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages.

Josephus' Discourse to the Greeks Concerning Hades is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Flavius Josephus is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Flavius Josephus then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nothing but a brief extract
This item is nothing but a mere extract of some five or ten pages, not the whole discourse at all. I suppose it's good for showing off what a Kindle -- or Kindle for PC -- can do, but as a Josephus text it's too fragmentary to be of much use or great interest. Very disappointing. The only bright side: it's free. ... Read more

Product Description
'Jump back in time to a place where historical accounts of the Hebrews are brought to life in an exciting narrative style. The history of Ancient Israel is revealed in a first-hand account from the great historian Flavius Josephus. 'Our Young Folks' Josephus' is a compilation of his two greatest works, 'Antiquities of the Jews' and 'The Jewish Wars.' You'll marvel at the history that is played-out before your eyes. A journey that begins with the call of Abraham and ends with the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of Massada...this is a must-have for any bookshelf.' ~ Eclectic Homeschool Online. '...this outstanding book is once again in print! Starting with Abraham (2078 BC), the patriarch of the Hebrews, the story is told through 70 AD. We see how the Old Testament intertwines with Alexander the Great, the many Ptolemys, Maccabeus, Aristobulus, Caligula, Vespasian, the fall of Massada, and other events and people of the time.' ~ Tanglewood Education. This work is an invaluable supplement to the study of ancient Israel, covering a broad period of time in detail, yet at a more manageable pace suitable for the advanced upper elementary and middle school student. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus, Flavius
Antiquities of the Jews or Jewish Antiquities by Josephus, Flavius

Kindle-friendly ebook. Very easy to navigate. I have been using my Kindle for a few months and I totally love it. It encourages me to read.

Fantastic History Resource
I have done the entire Bible as a read-aloud for our kids in the past.I was amazed on reading William Shepard's children's version of Josephus just how closely it followed the Bible.Josephus tells the story as a Jew living in the society.He goes from the time of Abraham to the fall of Jerusalem.The book parallels the Bible to its completion.One other book I found complimentary to this one is Alfred Church's retelling of The Story of The Last Days of Jerusalem.There, Josephus tells what happened from a first hand observer.I have read that Jerualem had fallen before in high school history -- this book tells a story that kept my kids glued to it until I finished reading to them.

A great primary history spine for Ancient Israel
We use a literature approach to homeschooling, preferring actual historical texts, or such texts that have been adapted for children, when possible. We attempted to go through the actual Old Testament in a year, but it was too much. This book turned out to be the perfect solution. We still like to include actual OT readings, but we can cover far more history in detail at a faster pace when using this book as our primary spine. It also includes the later history of Israel, the time after the close of the Old Testament leading to the fall of Jerusalem. I do not know any other book for children including this later history. Anyway, this book is a great read-aloud and we have enjoyed it immensely in our homeschooling. The illustrations also, are very informative.

A GREAT Church History Book!
Our Young Folks Josephus is a great book for children. It covers church history from Abraham to the fall of Jerusalem, yet presents it with simple words so children can easily understand it. The author, Flavius Josephus, was born in Jerusalem in A.D. 37. His father was a priest, & he got a marvelous education. By the time he was sixteen, the priests consulted him whenever they couldn't agree on tough questions. In A.D. 63 he visited Rome & liberated some Jewish prisoners the governor had sent there. He wrote many books. He died about A.D. 95. Josephus himself was present at most of the latter events in this book, & he writes in great detail. The book also tells more about the life of this extraordinary man. He writes the whole story, & does not leave anything out, which is rather exciting. In fact, I think the story would be more interesting if William Shepard, the person who edited the story into a children's edition, wouldn't have taken out so many of the details. Never the less, I would give this book a very high rating. -- (Written by an 11-year old boy who LOVED this book!)

... Read more

Product Description
Includes: "Life of Flavius Josephus", "The Antiquities of the Jews", "The Wars of the Jews", "Discourse Concerning Hades", Seven Dissertations", "Tables of Jewish Weights and Measures", "List of Ancient Testimonies and Records Cited by Josephus", and "Texts of the Old Testament Parallel to Josephus' Histories". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Complete Works of Josephus
An excellant book, I recommend it highly. To be able to read a personal account of biblical events is really something.

a must have historical book
One of the very few literary works of the very early years of our era that has survived in its entirety. A true, two thousand years oldliterary treasure. A must have.

Okay, I admit to only reading good bits
Fascinating image of life and historical events in the first century CE. Surprisingly readable, at least in small batches, despite the density of text and difficulty keeping track of the players. ... Read more

Product Description
As the primary source of additional information about events in the Old and New Testaments, Jewish An-tiquities & The Jewish War by Josephus take on a brilliant new dimension with full-color photographs of many of the places & artifacts cited in these works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Translation for the lay historian
Some translations of Josephus are twice the size of the bible. Not so with "Josephus: The Essential Works by Flavius Josephus, Paul L. Maier." It's easy to understand, filled with maps and illustrations, and interesting enough to read like a novel. I keep it handy as a reference guide and use it alongside other study materials to help me make sense of Jewish history. Written for the layman, I have compared sections with the unabridged versions and found the translation to be simple, yet complete.

Educational
Having read the complete Bible in the past, reading the works of Josephus helped put some of the events in the old testament into better perspective and opened the door to some new thinking and understanding.
Not particularly an easy read, but then reading the Bible has always been challenging and Josephus' version as put together by the author Paul Maier is challenging as well and very educational.

G. D. Villalba

Your Choice
I have long owned a translation by Thackeray of the complete works of Josephus in nine volumes from the Loeb Classical Library.Later, I purchased this abridgement and translation by Paul L. Maier of Flavius Josephus' "Jewish Antiquities" and "The Jewish War" which will be useful to many. Please note, this book is available in a 1990 edition and a 1995 edition.Recently, I obtained a copy of "The New Complete Works of Josephus," with Maier as commentator and editor published in 1999.So, in large measure the question I will try to answer here is, who will be served by owning one or the other of these books.With one exception, I no longer recommend the Loeb series as they are superseded in my opinion by Maier's "new complete works."The exception would be for a scholar using these works for research where the multiple volumes format is very convenient albeit expensive.The "essential works" come in at four hundred and sixteen pages of easy to read prose.The "new complete works" is eleven hundred and fifty two pages long.Substantial extra material including Josephus's "Against Apion" and "Vita" are included along with useful commentary by Maier.The translation is the original to English by William Whiston from the 18th Century.However, Maier has brought it linguistically and grammatically up to date which makes it accessible to most readers.

Josephus is by far our most important ancient source outside of the Bible regarding the history of Judaism and the Israelites up until the end of the first great Jewish Revolt circa 70 CE.On the one hand, if what you are looking for is a narrative history that parallels the Bible through the Babylonian captivity plus a basic history of Judea thereafter up to about 70 CE including Judea's interactions with the Hellenistic Empires and the Roman Empire, the "essential works" should suffice.On the other hand, if you need to back check Josephus against other scholarly works or need substantially more detail in either the pre or post exilic eras, the "complete works" ought to be your choice.In the event that you do not accept the Bible as a reliable source of the pre-exilic history of Israel, the first two hundred pages of the "essential works" may amount to, at worst in the opinion of some readers, no more than a paraphrased rendition of sacral mythology.

That many if not most still view the Old Testament as an accurate presentation of history from the creation up to the Babylonian exile and the return should be self evident.Therefore, if you subscribe to the position that the Old Testament is historically relevant and you need to fill in the blanks from the exile to the end of the first great Jewish revolt against the Romans, the "essential works" will be an invaluable read.If your interests are scholarly in any way, the "new complete works" is mandatory.The "essential works" will be way too stripped out of detail to serve as a useful reference source.Furthermore, the extra material and commentary in the "new complete works" may provide you with a fuller appreciation of Josephus and his place in historiography.Regardless of which of the two books you choose to suit your purposes, you will be reading the work of a fine scholar and a most significant ancient historian.In my opinion, each work will be edifying to its appropriate audience.Just make sure you pick the right book to fit your needs.

3rd Grade Reading Level and Biased
After reading 100 pages in about ten minutes, I wondered if Josephus really wrote as if he were a child.ie: Jack was a man.He lived in a house.He had a wife.He did something.Then, Jack died.Now replace Jack with Adam, Noah, Moses, Isaac, etc.The translator/editor takes far too much liberty with his abridgement and translation.I bought the unabridge version afterward.The writing in the full version is still easy to read and follow, but it gives a much more detailed and fuller story telling.I realize that the original is very long, and editing was necessary for this book.But, the sentence and paragraph structure was dumbed down too much.Also, the current editor adds too much correlation to Jesus.He may be unaware of this, but not all readers are Christian.I bought the book for Josephus' telling of Jewish history (as the title of Josephus' major works would indicate).Not Paul Maier's idea of what is important in Josephus' landmark undertaking.
I would recommend this book to a Christian parent who may want to supplment a child's reading of Biblical stories.I would not recommend this to an adult who is interested in expanding their knowledge of Biblical history.

Best translation ever of Josephus for normal people
The works of Josephus are the most important writings we have to understand the background and history of the Bible. Yet, trying to read Josephus' wordy prose is one of the most excruciating experiences I ever encountered.

Dr. Maier's translation and commentary on Josephus is one of 3 modern translations I own, but is the only one I have used for the last 5 years. It brought Josephus to life for me and allowed me to read and understand this valuable primary source.

Dr. Maier's work is generously accented with maps and illustrations and features a translation of Josephus that is abridged and therefore readable. Dr. Maier can be trusted to weed out the useless verbosity of the original text, as he is a leading scholar on early Roman Imperial history.

Sell your other versions of Josephus and buy this one and then you may actually start to use Josephus to accent your study of the Bible. ... Read more

Product Description
Jewish history from the capture of Jerusalem in 164 BC to its destruction in the First Jewish-Roman War in AD 70. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a real understanding of the times
Wars of the Jews or Jewish War or the History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Kindle edition of the writings of Josephus is an excellent tool for non-scholarly Biblical study. This ebook is for deliberative and thoughtful reader. ... Read more

Product Description
Josephus' account of a war marked by treachery and atrocity is a superbly detailed and evocative record of the Jewish rebellion against Rome between AD 66 and 70. Originally a rebel leader, Josephus changed sides after he was captured to become a Rome-appointed negotiator, and so was uniquely placed to observe these turbulent events, from the siege of Jerusalem to the final heroic resistance and mass suicides at Masada. His account provides much of what we know about the history of the Jews under Roman rule, with vivid portraits of such key figures as the Emperor Vespasian and Herod the Great. Often self-justifying and divided in its loyalties, "The Jewish War" nevertheless remains one of the most immediate accounts of war, its heroism and its horrors, ever written. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

the jewish war writ tiny
The print in this edition is so teeny-tiny it should never have seen the light of day in this font.

Very disappointing.

Flavius' Jewish Wars
Anyone interested in the history of Israel around the time of Jesus will be fascinated by this chronicle of events unbiased by Christian beliefs or Jewish influence.

The Jewish War
The Jewish War by Flavious Josephus is an excellent read about the beginings of Roman rule in the Middle East to the Jewish War of 66-67 AD.The Penguin Classics edition is a well translated, lade out and well edited edition of Josephus's discription of events.It is a wealth of information for anyone who wants to learn about the First Jewish War.

An excellent translation..
Josephus was a traitor,yes,and he was not an eyewitness to it all. His sources were an invaluable help to him in writing this account.And once again the Jewish people get short shrift. Yet this book is a necessary evil and should be read,not on its own,but with other sources for a rounded history. Everything we read can be put together like a jigsaw puzzle providing us with the insights needed to understand the Middle East today.

A tale of horror for the Jewish people
This tells the story of the terrible tragedy of the fall of Jerusalem, and the end of Jewish rule in the holy- land. It is written by the Jewish general and turncoat Josephus whose powerful skills as historian are compromised by his questionable behavior in regard to his own people.
Josephus does sympathize with the Jewish people, and writes as their defender. But he is also the hireling of the Romans and is careful to present them in an overly sympathetic light.
This is one of the great historical works of Antiquity. It is a classic.
And yet what mixed feelings it arouses . Admiration at Josephus' skill as writer , admiration for his attempting to bring credit and praise to the Jewish people, or some part of it- and contempt for his treachery.
This work contains too the scene of Masada's fall and the powerful speech of its last defenders before their collective suicide.
This is a crucial historical document.
But the tale it tells is a tale of horror for the Jewish people. ... Read more

Product Description
An award-winning translation and condensation of Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War. Includes black and white photos. (20040603) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Josephus
This was a new book on a research topic, that I have wanted for a price I could not turn down.Even with shipping it was $5 below the lowest price I could find in discount book stores.A very satisfied customer.

A must read for Bible students
If we want to know more about the history of the Jews and events at the time of Jesus from a secular Jew's writings, you must read Josephus.

Good book
This book is excellent, but it is on a doctoral level.Not recommended for young people.

thorough
Instead of reading through alot of Old English interpretation and opinion, the facts here are presented straightforward, clear and easy to read for the average reader. The pictures help immensely as they transports you to the era. Still, the book is thorough and stuffed with facts, historical, personal and cultural. A great buy for anyone interested in this period.

A SUCCINCT SUMMARY OF JOSEPHUS
For most people, such as myself, reading all of Josephus' Antiquities and The Jewish War is a daunting and time-consuming task.This book does a wonderful job of summarizing both of these important works in under 400 pages.It's easy reading and the footnotes and timelines added by Mr. Maier are helpful.If you want to learn about ancient Hebrews and Israelites as well as the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans(which Josephus witnessed)then this is your book without reading the complete and voluminous works of Josephus then here's your book.

I should note that the majority of Antiquities paraphrases what is already found in the Old Testament, which is common knowledge to scholars in this subject. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent basic biography on Josephus
Desmond Seward wrote an excellent biography on Josephus geared toward the general public in this book. The book appears to be well researched and it is superbly written. Easy to read, easy to understand and it feed information to the reader at a gradual scale. Even a veteran historical reader can enjoyed this book. The book covered all aspects of Josephus' life and try to give us some clarity and perception on the man and his purpose. I support the book's premise that although Josephus was a traitor in name, he was still a Jewish patriot who did not wish to see his nation destroyed. In this, one of the previous reviewers wrote that he had more in common with the German Military Resistance during World War II. I agreed with that analogy. Since his books were the only ones to survived from that period, it would be hard to second guess Josephus. I supposed that as a man aged and grow older, he gained more maturity and his perception changes. He also lived in dangerous times, the Flavian emperors appears to be the only ones standing between life and death for him. That is my only explanation I can think of to explain why Josephus sometimes appears to changed his views. The author made sure that everyone knew that the Jewish Zealots were the one primary responsible for this Jewish revolt and their murdering civil wars did more harm to their cause. Of course, this isn't new information. I was chuckling at the miniseries Masada and their portrayal of the Zealots in that show. It was like showing kindlier, gentle and gallant boy scout qualities of SS Nazi troops saving babies or rescuing animals.

I thought the author probably used the word "holocaust" bit too loosely. Jerusalem wasn't the only city in ancient world to be sacked with such completeness. Romans suffered greatly during this siege and they were in no mood to show mercy once they overran the place. This attitude is usually universal in military history even to the modern age.

Overall, a great book and a great biography that caters not only to the general readers but also to the experienced historical readers as well.

Great Book!
Bought this as a gift to someone who really enjoys the book.Its a must for anyone interested in Biblical history.

Hypocritical, but well done..
Josephus is Jerusalem's traitor like von Stauffenberg was Berlin's. Josephus parlayed with the Romans and declared them supreme?Zakkai did exactly the same thing, yet only after realizing that hope was lost. Josephus gave the nation a chance to find a path aside from evident self-annihilation.

Even so, the book is well written and fast paced.

It also recognizes the Great Hand of Providence upon the entire fall of Judaean power, even going so far as presenting the Old Testament prophecies of the End of Days as finding their fulfillment in the aftermath of Calvary.

Can't wait to finish the book, so I can move on to a more honest assessment of Josephus's loving heart towards ancient Israel... a heart broken by Zealotic, atheistic fanaticism in both religious and civil authorities.

This is the book you've been looking for
I can't say enough good things about this book. It explains Josephus's The Jewish War for non-specialists with a gripping, thrilling narrative that fills in all the background details you want to know.It is a delight to read.Best of all, you don't have to be an expert to understand it.Perfect for anyone interested in religion or history.

The War According to Flavius Josephus
Ever since seeing the TV miniseries MASADA as a kid, I've been fascinated by the story of the Jewish war with Rome in the 1st century AD. And of course the Jewish/Roman historian Flavius Josephus is virtually the only detailed source for the story of the Jewish Revolt. For those who are unfamiliar, Josephus began fighting the Romans as Governor of Galilee, but was captured by the Romans, after which he "defected" and assisted them in their prosecution of the war. When I saw Jerusalem's Traitor: Josephus, Masada, and the Fall of Judea -by Desmond Seward, having read and enjoyed his biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine, I snapped it up.

I wasn't disappointed.Seward starts with a survey of the Roman province of Judea in the early 1st century, and then takes us through the uprising and war which started in 66AD using Josephus'Jewish War and Jewish Antiquities
as a framework.Seward starts with a biographical sketch of Josephus, based primarily on Josephus' autobiography Life of Josephus, tempered with what modern scholarship tells us about the aristocratic priest class of pre-Diaspora Jewish culture to which Josephus' family belonged.

Seward then turns to the Jewish War and lays out the events, and Josephus' involvement in them chronologically, and then describes what we know, what we think and what we guess about those events with particular attention to how the account of Josephus meshes with other ancient sources.The result is a very lucid account of the Jewish War and a great deal of insight into its chronicler.

The book was consistently interesting and accessible needing no great degree of prior knowledge. Aside from the usual complaint about an insufficient number of inadequately detailed maps, there is very little to complain about here. I recommend this to anyone interested in Josephus or the in the Jewish War

... Read more

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You are about to purchase the Complete Works of Flavius Josephus delivered right into your Kindle! This classic, sought-after ebook is over 1400 pages.In studying Judean history in the first century AD, there is no historian more important than Josephus, especially when one is interested in the study of the historical Jesus or of the world around him (the religious/social/political climate, etc.) Josephus is not only the only Jewish historian of this era to comment on Jesus, he is the only Jewish historian to thoroughly present the history as well as the psychological outlook of the Jews through a lengthy span of time. His works are immeasurably important to anyone interested in this line of study.The works of Josephus give a reader a window into the perceptions of the world in the first century. Josephus offers information about individuals, groups, customs and geographical places. His writings provide a significant, extra-biblical account of the post-exilic period of the Maccabees, the Hasmonean dynasty and the rise of Herod the Great. He makes references to the Sadducees, Jewish High Priests of the time, Pharisees and Essenes, the Herodian Temple, Quirinius' census and the Zealots, and to such figures as Pontius Pilate, Herod the Great, Agrippa I and Agrippa II, John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and a much disputed reference to Jesus Christ. He is an important source for studies of immediate post-Temple Judaism (and, thus, the context of early Christianity).The Complete Works of Flavius Josephuscontains the following:The Life of JosephusThe Hades DiscourseAgainst Apion (Books 1 & 2)Antiquities of the Jews (Books 1-20)Wars of the Jews (Books 1-8)The content of this work provides a profound sense of history, and extends without an end a greater sense of it. This book acts many times as a supplement to the bible in filling important gaps that biblical history does not provide. In almost every way, Josephus is our best available source for understanding the ancient's understanding of the Bible. As such, it is essential and invaluable to any serious student. ... Read more

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Josephus, soldier, statesman, historian, was a Jew born at Jerusalem about 37 CE. A man of high descent, he early became learned in Jewish law and Greek literature and was a Pharisee. After pleading in Rome the cause of some Jewish priests he returned to Jerusalem and in 66 tried to prevent revolt against Rome, managing for the Jews the affairs of Galilee. In the troubles which followed he made his peace with Vespasian. Present at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, he received favours from these two as emperors and from Domitian and assumed their family name Flavius. He died after 97.

As a historical source Josephus is invaluable. His major works are: History of the Jewish War, in seven books, from 170 BCE to his own time, first written in Aramaic but translated by himself into the Greek we now have; and Jewish Antiquities, in twenty books, from the creation of the world to 66 CE. The Loeb Classical Library edition of the works of Josephus also includes the autobiographical Life and his treatise Against Apion.

Customer Reviews (3)

Loeb Classical Library
As Mr. Smith said, this is the only translation of the Josephus books to own.

Josephus, The Life Against Apionvolume I
The Life Against Apion is Josephus' attempt to refute the virulent Anti-Semetic felling that was ever present in the Roman Empire during the First Century AD.This work done by the Loeb Classical Libary is a must for anyone from serious historical scholar to the causal history buff.

Indispensible for serious study of the New Testament
This is the only available edition of Josephus worth the money.

The translation is somewhat dated, but more reliable than the abridged Penguin paraphrase and much more readable than Whiston's 1737 workhorse.

This volume becomes easily worth $20+ if one knows a little Greek, though. One can really do good scholarly work with Josephus' writings for a mere $280 for all 13 of them.

The Loeb volumes on Josephus are indispensible for understanding the political realities of first-centuryJudaism(s). Josephus is not the best historian who ever lived, because he is biased, self-aggrandizing and transparently apologetic for the aristocracy and priestly classes in Judea. But the fact of the matter is that we don't have anything else which begins to offer as much detail about first-century Judea as Josephus' writings.

Steve Mason's "Josephus and the New Testament" should be on your shelf if you want to study Josephus, too. His theory about the author of Luke-Acts having relied on Josephus is overdone, but otherwise his work is greatly enlightening. ... Read more

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Josephus was essentially an apologist, and his writings include not only an apology for his people, but an apology for his own life. In contrast with the greater Jewish writers, he was given to vaunting his own deeds. We have therefore abundant, if not always reliable, information about the chief events of his career. It must always be borne in mind that he had to color the narrative of his own as well as his people's history to suit the tastes and prejudices of the Roman conqueror. ... Read more

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Updated text and new maps bring this standard introduction up to date . . .

Throughout Christian history, the works of Josephus have been mined for the light they shed on the world of the New Testament. Josephus tells us about the Herodian family, the temple, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. He mentions James the brother of Jesus, John the Baptist, and even Jesus himself. In Josephus and the New Testament, an internationally acknowledged authority on Josephus introduces this first-century Jewish historian to readers who want to begin to explore his witness to environment in which early Judaism and Christianity took shape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Insightful Interpretation
I have read most of Josephus' works but have never before read an interpretive study by a Josephus' scholar.It really helped and also helped to straighten out some of my thinking on this fascinating man.I must admit that my previous readings led me to conclude that Josephus was, at the same time, a cynic and opportunist but Mason's work has expanded my outlook.

Mason believes that Josephus was walking a remarkable tightrope between his personal distain for a number of Jewish groups--make that Sadducees, Phariasees, and rebels--and deep respect for Jewish tradition as upheld by his own aristocratic and priestly class.While writing for the benefit of a primarily gentile audience, he attempts to promote the status of ancient Jewish belief and Mosaic Law directly in the face of--even then--widespread antisemitism.This was, as Josephus surely knew a 'hard sell' given the circumstances of the recent Jewish rebellion--an antiRoman rebellion concluding with the destruction of the Temple and crucifixion/enslavement of thousands.

A difficult needle to thread but Josephus makes quite an argument for his point of view which leads us to the conclusion that Judaism--at least some forms of Judaism--in Josephus' day, differed from the Conservative and Hasidic forms of Judaism of today.It seems that gentile converts to Judaism were more-or-less welcomed during the time of Josephus with the all important proviso that converts followed Mosaic Law.

Mason's entire exposition gives us insights as to the power struggles between Jewish factions and the relationship between the same factions with the overweening reality of Roman power and governance.Josephus has little good to say about the various Roman governors, including Pontius Pilate, an attitude that he seems to share with his gentile audience.Pilate is an interesting study.In the NT Pilate is the victim of circumstances--even a sympathetic figure.Josephus paints an entirely 'other' man, given to corruption and unnecessary violence.No doubt Josephus' portrait is correct.

Mason's direct opinions about Josephus' mentioning of John the Baptist, Jesus and his brother James are also fascinating especially in that they are but bit players in Josephus' largely Jewish tale.On the other hand--if these people need 'proof' beyond their appearance in the NT, Josephus definitely provides it.

Josephus on the scholarly map
As a student of the Classics with little prior knowledge of Josephus I fully agree with the above reviews. The book is fascinating and detailed, without missing to give a broader perspective of Josephus' writings and his time. I can fully recommend it to people who wish to learn about a fascinating historian and histurbulent times.

Review of Josephus and the New Testament
The book is insightful and give lots of information, but unfortunately it is a boring read.The author states in the book that reading the original work is tedious, if that is the case it does not seem that he made reading his book any less tedious.So my approach to reading the book is a little at a time. I believe that this book is helpful depending on the type of research you are doing.Maybe you want to just get information - it is good for that as well.Just know that it will be a laborius task.

An Excellent Resource For Scripture Study
Many people engaged in Bible study, whether it is a casual study or formal training in scripture, have found the writings of Flavius Josephus intriguing and helpful. The famous historian's writings were penned at the same time as many New Testament writings, and for this reason alone they are valuable. We hear Josephus talk about the major religious groups during New Testament times: those mentioned in the gospels and those not mentioned specifically but may have had an indirect influence on Christianity. We also find a detailed account of the fall of the Jerusalem Temple as well as references to John the Baptist, James "the brother of the Lord" (possibly dubious entries) and Jesus himself (most scholars, including Mason concede these brief and pious references were probably added by Christian copyists). The writings of Josephus are indispensable in studying scripture.

As important and helpful as the writings of Josephus can be, author Steve Mason points out that his writings have been misused over the centuries. Early Christian authors believed Josephus' account of the destruction of the Temple proved that God's favor had left Israel and had been transferred to Christians. His writings have supported many anti-Semitic campaigns in the past. He also contends that Josephus fell out of favor with many Jewish groups because he was considered a traitor during the battle with the Romans at the time of the Temple's destruction. While one could debate whether he was in fact a traitor, but most scholars do agree that Josephus did have a gift for self preservation. In this tract, Mason hopes to strip away Christian misinterpretations of Josephus and traditional historical biases and see Josephus as he intended to be seen: as a Jewish apologist defending the Jewish faith and people as an ancient and noble faith and worthy of respect in Ancient Rome. Mason contends that it is only by viewing Josephus in this light we can appreciate his writings.

The book gives a detailed biography of Josephus and provides a concise summary of Josephus' writings. He then reconstructs the New Testament world based on the historian's writings and looks at similarities and differences between the writings of Josephus and the New Testament. Perhaps what is Mason's greatest aide is that he does not favor Josephus' wrings as accurate and the New Testament as inaccurate, as can so often be the case. Instead he looks at the differences and points to why Josephus may have written what he did, keeping in mind Josephus did have an agenda and was not ashamed to admit it, and looking at why the New Testament recorded what it did. Readers will find that Mason's approach supports New Testament writings from a historical point of view.

JOSEPHUS AND THE NEW TESTAMENT is detailed, but it is an engaging read. This book will be helpful to any student engaged in New Testament studies. It's also accessible to any person who has an interest in scripture study. It makes a wonderful companion to the actual writings of Josephus and helps us to see the historian, as a historian and use his contributions appropriately.

good overview of Josephus
I'm no scholar, just a layperson. But I enjoy learning and facts. I was familiar with Josephus in a vague type of way and knew his writings gave us much background and history for understanding New Testament life and times. And I wanted to learn more about Josephus and his writings. This book seemed the best option. It was somewhat "hard" reading for me, but I feel it was worth my efforts. The author, in my opinion, is somewhat on the theological liberal side. (I'm very conservative...)But I felt the book gave me a good overview of Josephus. It was what I was looking for... ... Read more

Product Description
The works of the Jewish writer Flavius Josephus represent one of the most important records of Judaism and the Jews that survive from the ancient world. The Jewish Antiquities, his largest historical enterprise, is an account in twenty books of Jewish history from the creation to the outbreak of the Jewish revolt against Rome in AD 66. Here is all the drama of the Old Testament transformed into a historical narrative of Greco-Roman character; and more important, our only continuous account of Middle Eastern affairs in the two hundred years that led up to the revolt. William Whiston, successor to Isaac Newton as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, published his famous translation of Josephus' works in 1737. The modern system of chapter divisions has been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What you always wanted to know about God and the way He wanted it.
Offers deeper insights into the Old Testament Books of the Bible. Explores motivations, reveals the thinking of early Jews.

Jewish Antiquities
Jewish Antiquities is a fine book that is becoming a vital tool of research for me in my graduate class.It is very well written and gives a forceful voice to Josephus Flavious on his epic story of the Jewish people.It is a must for anybody for anyone who wants to understand Judea and Rome during the First Century A.D. ... Read more

Product Description

Josephus, soldier, statesman, historian, was a Jew born at Jerusalem about 37 CE. A man of high descent, he early became learned in Jewish law and Greek literature and was a Pharisee. After pleading in Rome the cause of some Jewish priests he returned to Jerusalem and in 66 tried to prevent revolt against Rome, managing for the Jews the affairs of Galilee. In the troubles which followed he made his peace with Vespasian. Present at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, he received favours from these two as emperors and from Domitian and assumed their family name Flavius. He died after 97.

As a historical source Josephus is invaluable. His major works are: History of the Jewish War, in seven books, from 170 BCE to his own time, first written in Aramaic but translated by himself into the Greek we now have; and Jewish Antiquities, in twenty books, from the creation of the world to 66 CE. The Loeb Classical Library edition of the works of Josephus also includes the autobiographical Life and his treatise Against Apion.

Customer Reviews (1)

contemporary account of first-century Jewish world
Those familiar with the Loeb Library editions will know what to expect from this book, but for those who aren't: The original Greek text is provided on one page with the English translation on the facing page for comparison. The Greek text is accompanied by footnotes providing textual variations and there are also extensive notes from the translator discussing points of interest, including the relationship between the text and known history or conflicts with other contemporary accounts.
The books that comprise this volume (18-19) are of particular interest to students of the New Testament. Josephus discusses among other things the various religious groups in Palestine at the time (Essenes, Sadducees, etc.), the machinations of the Herodian family and their interrelationships (it is from Josephus that we learn the name Salome, misapplied throughout history to the daughter who dances for Herod in Mark), and the career of Pilate. Book 18 also contains the so-called Testamentum Flavianum attesting to the historical existence of Christ as well as the equally contentious passage concerning John the Baptist. One cannot help agreeing with the scholars who argue that Luke borrowed from Josephus in constructing his biography of Jesus. When we read Josephus therefore, we may be reading the very same material that the authors of the gospels were inspired by as they wove their narratives.
This edition of Josephus will also be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about the Jewish world in the first century. Finally and irrelevantly it is a very attractively presented book with an appealingly old-fashioned cover. For further information on the historical context of Josephus and his relationship with the gospel accounts, you may like to consult Josephus and New Testament (Recent Releases). ... Read more

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To prove his sons’ treachery, Herod embellished a letter. To certify his history of Vespasian’s Judaean campaign, Josephus marshaled epistolary testimony. To alleviate a domestic problem, the Israelite king David sent a missive with a man it marks for death. Arguing for the importance of the first-century historian Josephus to the study of classical and Hellenistic literature, Tragedy, Authority, and Trickery investigates letters in Josephus’ texts. The author breaks new ground by analyzing classical, Hellenistic, and Jewish texts’ use of letters, comparing those texts to Josephus’ narratives, a virtual archive containing hundreds of letters. An external voice similar to speeches, embedded letters raise questions of authority, drive and color dramatic scenes, and function at textual and meta-textual levels to deceive their readers. Josephus, contextualized in a complex intellectual and cultural milieu, sustains and develops epistolarity in important ways that will be of interest to classicists, historians, theologians, and comparatists.