CONSULTED WORKS : Jewish War - begins with a summary of Judaic history from 168 BC to AD 66, proceeds with an account of the Roman suppression of the revolt ; Jewish Antiquities - a history of the Jews from creation to AD 66.
GENRE: history
LANGUAGE: Greek
STYLE of Jewish War : The summary of Jewish history with which the work begins, is full of juicy tidbits particularly concerning Herod the Great and his household whose lives are very much intertwined with those of the imperial family at Rome. He also includes digressions on events in Rome. Some scholars see his style as a cross between Herodotus (his many detailed digressions) and Thucydides (narrative with analysis). of Jewish Antiquities : Work intended as a history of the antiquity of the Jewish people for a non-Jewish audience. Although it spans a greater period of time, it covers much of the same material as the beginning of the Jewish War, but in a much more detailed manner with detailed descriptions of topography, architecture and political intrigue both in Judaea and in Rome.
RELIABILITY QUOTIENT : Good
Although Josephus' works are concerned with Judaea, he also deals with events in Rome. Although the Roman material may at times seem irrelevant to a Jewish history, it makes for interesting reading and does fill in some gaps in Roman history. He is the major source for Herod Agrippa and for the events surrounding the assassination of Caligula and elevation of Claudius.
