Jewish War By Josephus: The Jewish Man

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“I protest openly that I do not go over to the Romans as a deserter of the Jews, but as a minister from thee.” The Jewish War, Book 3.8.3. Through this quote Josephus explains that although he himself was a Jewish man and that he does not frown upon all other cultures, instead he helps each culture understand each other’s. Josephus was both a military leader and a historian throughout his lifetime. Through his actions as a military leader he became friends with the Romans and later became a historian under the wing of the Romans. Through Josephus’ works he would help Rome understand the Jewish people, and help the Jewish people understand Rome.

Josephus was born in 37 BC; he grew up being distinguished from the ordinary children for his
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His most important books were The Jewish War, The Jewish Antiquities, and an apology to Judaism called Against the Greeks (or Against Apion). In all of these works Josephus tries to explain Judaism to the Romans and Rome to the Jews. Through his books he writes partly as an eyewitness, and partly from reports obtained from eyewitnesses. His first work The Jewish War was written first and started by talking about the Maccabees, which were leaders of a Jewish rebel army that took control of Judea. The book finishes with the fall of Jerusalem. It also gives the reader Josephus’ perspective and role in the events that occurred. His second major work was The Jewish Antiquities. Through this book he expanded and explained Jewish history, law and customs. Josephus also answered many philosophical debates about Judaism at the time. This work led Rome to a better understanding of Judaism and the Jews. His last significant piece of work, Against the Greeks, is a two-volume defense of Judaism as a classical religion and philosophy. In this work Josephus stresses its quality of being ancient as opposed to the more recent Greek