The Essential Writings

by Flavius Josephus, Paul L. Maier (Editor)

An award-winning translation and condensation of The Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War of Josephus. The historical events take on a brilliant new dimension in this revised edition now with photographs, charts, and maps.

Genres: History, Classics, Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Reference, Christianity

413 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 100

About the author

Titus 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)

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard of the writings of the ancient historian Josephus but it always seemed daunting to take on reading the words of somone who lived so long ago. I guess I thought it would be hard to understand like ancient epic poetry. But this translation and edition are actually quite simple to understand. The first part reads like a summary of what you find in your old testament, with a few differences. The second part tells what happend in between the testaments, like the story of the Maccabees and how the Herods came into power. It continues on through the time of Christ (whe gets a couple of mentions, as does John the Baptist and later the early Christians are alluded to as well) up to the destruction of the Jerusalem and the Jewish temple, whichis told in detail. It is fascinating in places and it provides a fuller picture of what was happening politically during the time of Christ and the early church. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in having a little historical flavor added to their understading of the Bible or these time periods in general. And don't be scared by it--this edition is condensed to all the relevant books and is easy to read.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a condensed version of Antiquities and The Jewish War. What it lacks at times in thoroughness, it makes up for with Maier’s excellent comments and illustrations. To be honest, Josephus can be somewhat wordy in Antiquities. This makes for an excellent background volume on the New Testament.

The first part of Antiquities is a summary of Old Testament history. There isn’t much of interest, except at parts where Josephus provides an indirect commentary on the biblical narrative. For example, in Daniel the beast is not the Roman Empire, pace many Jewish and later Christian interpreters, and that for obvious reasons.

The second part of Antiquities is a background to the Jewish War of 66-70 AD. The Jewish War would make a good film, albeit a highly propagandized one. That might not be entirely fair to Josephus. He was not simply a turncoat. He fought valiantly for the Jewish people (or at least as he tells the story). He also realized that the Jewish leadership was corrupt and there was only one way this would end. Moreover, at least on his telling, Rome never wanted to remove Israel or even destroy the Temple. The Zealots pushed them to that.

Notes of Interest:

Josephus calls Nabal “a bad-natured cynic” (116).

He believes the witch of Endor actually summoned the spirit of Samuel from Hades, whether she intended the actual Samuel or not (117).

Josephus reminds us of a key point in David’s disastrous census. Taking a census was never against God’s law. Rather, if one took a census, a half-shekel should be paid to God for every person (133; cf. Exodus 30:12ff).

During his career Daniel actually build a fortress at Ecbatana (186).

Conclusion

The narrative begins slowly but picks up the pace and drama. Highly recommended.

[Brit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes the writings of Josephus more accessible.

[Jeff McCormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow, WOW!! Simply fascinating...simply amazing and gripping. History comes to life as you read Josephus' War on the Jews. I see the prophetic books coming to life...Matthew, Luke, Peter, Revelation...pow, pow, pow. To the Jews, the temple was referred to as the place where heaven and earth came together, so as prophesied in Isaiah 65-66, the old heaven and earth (the Temple) was destroyed; as in Daniel 12, the holy people were shattered and the city destroyed, and even Josephus acknowledges that the hand of God obviously came against the Jewish people and they were under severe judgment. I was even more shocked to hear Josephus actually refer to this war and destruction as being the worst and most horrible event to have ever happened to a people before and surely never to be duplicated (a clear fulfillment of Matt. 24:21).

I believe this book should be issued to Christians with every Bible purchase, it is just so important for Christians to grasp how this event plays into all that Jesus and the Apostle's said would happen in their generation. I am glad, after all of these years of owning it, and of hearing (and even quoting) from it, that I have finally gotten around to finishing it. This story would make a gruesome series of movies. Great reading.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cool book. Finishing now around the beginning of Hanukkah made this time of year even more meaningful, even though I'm not Jewish. This overview of the magnum opus written by Josephus around 70 AD is the best way to get a condensed version of the history behind the Old and some of the New Testament, without all that pesky (ie boring) language usage that always got in the way of my reading those books from start to end. And there are pictures of the actual places today! I learned a lot, like there are more fascinating women mentioned in the Old Testament than I ever knew (other than Ruth and Esther that is). Some led armies to victory, some were priestesses, some foretellers of the future. And then of course they were plenty of those evil Jezebel types. Lots of women murdered their spouses so their sons would inherit the throne. Lots of paranoid kings murdered their families. Holy *crap* a lot of people died in really gruesome ways. If only they'd had tv back then to distract them.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outside of the Bible, Jesus of Nazareth is mentioned in just one place: the turncoat historian Flavius Josephus, who began his notoriety as a Galilean zealot, opposing the Romans, was defeated in battle, surrendered, found his way to Rome, was enslaved and then adopted by the rich and powerful Flavians, and ultimately hired to write the definitive histories of the Jewish people. Plagued with a dry wit and a tendency to exaggerate, still the book is full of remarkable insights and details of the struggle between the Jews and practically everyone else in the ancient world.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing to Josephus' writings are the historical accounts on Jesus and his life, along with the history of the Roman Empire in his time as a histroian. The only downfall to Josephus' accounts are the the sort of "Macabbean" twists he adds to history of the Jewish story. What is meant by that is that he doesn't go with Biblical, or even mosaic creational stories. He sort of adds in his own things with things that are crucial, like, sin, promises, and faith, but that is to be expected in the non Christian, "mixed"Judaism of his time.

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Maier's edition of Josephus' Antiquities and Jewish Wars is decidedly accessible for the non-scholar. The translation is easy to read and reduces over 14,000 pages to 400, condensing many of the wordy and repetitious passages Josephus is known for, without omitting anything essential or unique. Even better, it's filled with helpful and fascinating charts, distance, and photos of various objects and places referenced in the text.

This is the edition to choose for the simply curious or interested reader. It may also hold value for the scholar, as a worthy companion to the full editions of each complete work.

[David Carraway · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book historian Paul Maier has combined Josephus' works Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War and edited them to contain the most essential parts which give the reader both a history of the Jewish people in general and the destruction of their temple and city in great detail.

This book is printed on high quality glossy paper much like a text book and contains beautiful pictures of the areas Josephus speaks about.

I was at times fascinated by how much one would have missed out on this part of history if Josephus had not written these books and at other times appalled by the terrible atrocities suffered by all, especially the Jews, during the Jewish War. I enjoyed this book very much as it appealed to both my interests in history and biblical studies.

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished Josephus. I think every Christian ought to read The Jewish Antiquities, as it gives the story of the Old Testament as a story, epic in sweep. *Though Josephus does go with rabbinic interpretation rather than with the OT in some places.* Also the story of the Jewish Wars with Rome helped me understand the context of the early Church much better. By itself, I would have given this book 4 stars, but Paul Maier adds such great illustrations, photographs, and maps that the history really comes to life.

[Enikő · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was prompted to read this book because Josephus was listed in the bibliography of The Dove Keepers. I'm glad I read it. It was interesting, and not a dry read like I had feared. I especially like the fact that it was illustrated with photographs of the sites mentioned and also with pictures of busts of the romans. The busts are so well done (they are from collections from museums like the Louvre) that you really get the sense that you know what these people looked like even though they lived two thousand years ago.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Maier's translation is clear and understandable. Josephus himself relates a series of tragic events (I only read his Wars) which shock the reader in horror and sorrow. Unfortunately, he holds a few prejudices towards Titus and the Romans, and despises the Zealots and lower-class Jews in particular, which corrupts his history occasionally. Thankfully, he remains true in what he says and his biases don't really affect his work. Josephus is clearly an important historical source for the Jewish nation and valuable read for anybody concerned with this time period in history.

[Joseph Burk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm interested in history, and reading the Essential Works of Flavius Josephus was very educational. This book is all about the history of the Jewish people, from the Creation to the fall of Jerusalem. It's fascinating how Josephus uses the Bible as a source but also adds other historical accounts. Although this added content is not inspired by God, it is based on something else that probably happened, though it may have been twisted over the years.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a history buff, this is a great book! The first part is basically the old testament plus some of the inter-testamental history that sets the stage nicely for what was going on in the middle-east during the lifetime of Jesus. The second part is a fascinating account of the Jewish war against Rome. If you're into Biblical history, Roman history, or the history of warfare, this is a great book.

[Brenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good translation and abridgement that cuts the superfluous and manages to preserve the best of Josephus. Eusebius called Josephus "the most famous Jew of his time." Not long ago many Christian homes had a copy of Josephus on the shelf next to the Bible. Whether anyone read him is another question. Josephus was not a polemicist for Christianity but an apologist for the Jewish people. His testimony to Jesus is probably doctored.

[Regi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was much easier to refer to after reading the Works. Don't get me wrong, I really recommend reading the entire works for research, but.... this is a very clear and clean translation that is easy to read and understand. I did not feel that important information was left out; his writing is highly repetitious and self-praising.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great translation, easy to read and includes a lot of diagrams and photographs of the landscape. It is just Jewish Antiquities and the Jewish War. Jewish War is worth reading to get a feel for the first century and the drama of the destruction of the temple.

[Howard]

A slog (as in history is just one fact after the other), but fascinating in the level of detail of events that happened 2000 years ago. Apparently there's nothing new in political intrigue since then.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for history about the 1st century. The Jewish War info was amazing, like reading a novel. Also fascinating for a 1st century view of old testament Jewish history from a Judeo/Greek perspective. Well worth the read.

[Mhines11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing must-read for anyone who would like more historical background in his Bible reading. I thought Josephus would be too difficult (and boring) a read, but this translation is quite easy and flows like one of Maier's novels.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I thought would be terribly dry and boring actually made history come alive in a new way.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good translation and collection of Josephus's writings

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am almost to the half way point and I really love this book. I feel like there is such good detail supplied that I am receiving a photograph of that time.

[Read1000books · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and easier to read translation of Israel's early history, originally written between 70 and 100A.D..

[John Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Maier has done an excellent job of translating and shortening the original text. This is a very readable version and helps to make the incidents of Jewish history come to life.

[Gable Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially read this book because I had heard that Josephus was a historian at the time of Christ that wrote about him. I thought it would be interesting to get a different perspective on the history behind Jesus Christ. While it was interesting to read this book I admit I was a little let down by how much was written about Jesus Christ. There was about a half a page. There was also a bit about John the Baptist and a bit about James, the brother of Jesus. So, the main thing that this book does relating to Jesus is provide another source verifying that he was a real person. Josephus was a Jew so he did not acknowledge Jesus as the Savior, but he did acknowledge that some did consider that to be the case.

The rest of the book was a little dry but still very interesting. The first half was basically just a summary of some of the main stories in the Old Testament. The second half was about the Jewish war with the Romans after the time of Jesus. I didn't know much about this at all so it was good to read and become a little more aware of what happened in that area at that time.

I think it is definitely worth the time it takes to read this book. It is very educational all around.

[Kenneth Rosenblad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dette er en bok som bør leses ved siden av bibelen for å få en større forståelse av Matteus 24, Markus 13 og Lukas 21. Jeg leste denne etter å ha lest hele verket på engelsk. Denne versjonen er betydelig forkortet. Fordelen da, er at den har utelatt en overveldende mengde med detaljer som ikke er så viktig i det store bildet. Ulempen er at den har også utelatt viktige detaljer som var essensielt.
Jeg vil derfor anbefale å lese denne først for å få et greit overblikk men at man bør ta seg tid til å lese hele «The Wars of the Jews», oversatt av William Whiston. «Israels Gamle Historie» (The Antiquities of the Jews) er en helt grei lesning uten at det gir så mye ift Gamle Testamentet. Men noen artige informasjoner får man.
Denne norske versjonen har dessverre en del irriterende skrivefeil og noen få faktafeil ift orginalen. Men jeg anbefaler å lese den.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally, I got myself to read through Josephus works, this edition containing a slightly abbreviated version of both War of the Jews and Antiquities of the Jew - so a historical combination that would be of interest to anyone who want a second look on the biblical stories and Jewish history before and around and after the times of Jesus. My Norwegian translation was a horrible one, but mostly because of the many obvious mistakes, not the language in itself. The works themselves are ok but shines nowadays most for the relevance to history and the extra material it brings forth.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise (Maier tells you exactly what he left out and they were details I didn't miss) with great black and white photos from modern day Israel and family tree illustrations for the family of Herod, Roman Procurators and Emperors. Read the forward for insight and understanding into Josephus'personality and prejudices throughout his writing. Some gruesome details, but not gory, after all this is history.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book for learning about Jewish history up to the end of the Roman war. Maier did a good job of parsing out elements of Josephus' writing that matched with the Bible, so what was left was material that was new, or material that was different than the Biblical account. He also had footnotes detailing good, bad, and interesting points about Josephus' descriptions.