Translation of “The Jewish War” by Josephus Flavius With an introduction

Josephus (Hebr. Yosef ben Matitjahu, Lat. Flavius Josefus) was born in 37/38 AD in Jerusalem in a high-ranking family in the Jewish priesthood. He grew up in Palestine with Aramic as his mother tongue, but he also knew Greek. In his autobiography he writes that in 64 he went on an embassy to Rome, to secure the release of a group of imprisoned Jewish priests. On his return to Jerusalem two years later, the Jewish uprising had already started and he was sent to Galilee to lead the defence against the Romans. Following the fall of the city of Jotapata in 67 he tried to escape and hide but was captured by the Romans. To save himself he played the prophet, foretelling that both Vespasian, who conducted the war, and his son Titus would be elevated to the imperial throne. This earned him lenient treatment during his two years in captivity. At Vespasian’s command he married a Jewish girl among the captives. He had left his first wife behind in Jerusalem. Finally, after writing four important books, he died in 100 CE.