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Josephus' Antiquities - Volume 1: The Unabridged Paraphrase
For Christians, Flavius Josephus’ (37 to c. 100 A.D) works are one of the most essential extra-biblical chronicles written in the first century. His Jewish Antiquities are particularly valuable for Christians as a fountain of knowledge about the intertestamental period, from the destruction of Solomon’s temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 B.C. to the Roman procurator Florus in 64 A.D. But Josephus’ writings also take us back in Jewish history to God’s creation of the world, providing interesting sidelights to the Hebrew Scripture narratives from oral testimonies and other ancient, extra-biblical Jewish writings.
VOLUME 1: This first volume moves from God’s creation of the world in 4,004 B.C. to the death of Israel’s first king, Saul, in 1,055 B.C. Although Josephus follows the Bible’s timeline of the Patriarchs, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the Judges, and the prophet Samuel, all familiar to the Bible student, he adds interesting extra-biblical additions. For instance, in one segment, Josephus tells us of Moses' generalship of the Egyptian army in their war against the Ethiopians.
VOLUME 2: The second volume of Josephus' Antiquities takes us from King Saul’s death in 1,055 B.C. to the death of Judea’s Queen Alexandra in 67 B.C. Josephus’ narrative takes us through David’s rule, followed by Solomon and the kingdom’s split under Jeroboam and Rehoboam, the captivity of the ten tribes, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Cyrus, Alexander the Great, Xerxes, the Maccabeans, and Queen Alexandra.
VOLUME 3: The final volume of Josephus’ Antiquities traces the history of the Jews from Queen Alexandra’s death in 67 B.C. to the procuratorship of Rome’s Florus in 64 A.D. These are years of inter-family squabbles as Aristobulus and Hyrcanus vie for the kingdom before Antipater’s son, Herod [the Great], kills Malchus, takes over as Tetrarch, and befriends Marc Antony. Herod then builds the second temple and many other works in Judea. Herod becomes king by Caesar’s proclamation, destroys his sons, and dies. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ is born, and Herod the Tetrarch rules. Caesar Caligula is assassinated, and through several perils, Agrippa is crowned the Judean king. Nero becomes Caesar in 54 A.D., and trouble roils Israel as Florus becomes procurator.
VOLUME 1: This first volume moves from God’s creation of the world in 4,004 B.C. to the death of Israel’s first king, Saul, in 1,055 B.C. Although Josephus follows the Bible’s timeline of the Patriarchs, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the Judges, and the prophet Samuel, all familiar to the Bible student, he adds interesting extra-biblical additions. For instance, in one segment, Josephus tells us of Moses' generalship of the Egyptian army in their war against the Ethiopians.
VOLUME 2: The second volume of Josephus' Antiquities takes us from King Saul’s death in 1,055 B.C. to the death of Judea’s Queen Alexandra in 67 B.C. Josephus’ narrative takes us through David’s rule, followed by Solomon and the kingdom’s split under Jeroboam and Rehoboam, the captivity of the ten tribes, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Cyrus, Alexander the Great, Xerxes, the Maccabeans, and Queen Alexandra.
VOLUME 3: The final volume of Josephus’ Antiquities traces the history of the Jews from Queen Alexandra’s death in 67 B.C. to the procuratorship of Rome’s Florus in 64 A.D. These are years of inter-family squabbles as Aristobulus and Hyrcanus vie for the kingdom before Antipater’s son, Herod [the Great], kills Malchus, takes over as Tetrarch, and befriends Marc Antony. Herod then builds the second temple and many other works in Judea. Herod becomes king by Caesar’s proclamation, destroys his sons, and dies. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ is born, and Herod the Tetrarch rules. Caesar Caligula is assassinated, and through several perils, Agrippa is crowned the Judean king. Nero becomes Caesar in 54 A.D., and trouble roils Israel as Florus becomes procurator.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2025
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About the author
Flavius Josephus
1,532 books211 followersTitus Flavius Josephus was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer who was born in Jerusalem - then part of Roman Judea - to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry.
He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War as the head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claims the Jewish Messianic prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome. In response Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a hostage and interpreter. After Vespasian did become Emperor in 69, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius.
Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian's son Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the Siege of Jerusalem, which resulted -- when the Jewish revolt did not surrender -- in the city's destruction and the looting and destruction of Herod's Temple (Second Temple).
Josephus recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, including the Siege of Masada, but the imperial patronage of his work has sometimes caused it to be characterized as pro-Roman propaganda.
His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94). The Jewish War recounts the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation (66–70). Antiquities of the Jews recounts the history of the world from a Jewish perspective for an ostensibly Roman audience. These works provide valuable insight into 1st century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity.
Alternate spelling:
Flávio Josefo (Romance languages)
He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War as the head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claims the Jewish Messianic prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome. In response Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a hostage and interpreter. After Vespasian did become Emperor in 69, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius.
Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian's son Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the Siege of Jerusalem, which resulted -- when the Jewish revolt did not surrender -- in the city's destruction and the looting and destruction of Herod's Temple (Second Temple).
Josephus recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, including the Siege of Masada, but the imperial patronage of his work has sometimes caused it to be characterized as pro-Roman propaganda.
His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94). The Jewish War recounts the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation (66–70). Antiquities of the Jews recounts the history of the world from a Jewish perspective for an ostensibly Roman audience. These works provide valuable insight into 1st century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity.
Alternate spelling:
Flávio Josefo (Romance languages)
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