Josephus fought the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War as a Jewish military leader in Galilee. After the the Romans invaded, killing thousands, Josephus and one of his soldiers surrendered to the Roman forces. He became a prisoner and provided the Romans with intelligence on the ongoing revolt. He appears to have played some role as a negotiator with the defenders of Jerusalem in 70. In 71, he arrived in Rome in the entourage of Titus, becoming a Roman citizen. It was while in Rome, and under Flavian patronage, that Josephus wrote all of his works.

The works of Josephus were studied for nearly 2,000 years by scholars, pastors, students, and everybody interested in history. Josephus writes in enlightened and provocative style. He offers information about individuals, groups, customs and geographical places. His writings provide a significant, extra-biblical account of the Maccabees, the Hasmonean dynasty and the rise of Herod the Great. He makes references to the Sadducees, Jewish High Priests of the time, Pharisees and Essenes, the Herodian Temple, the Zealots, and to such figures as Pontius Pilate, Herod the Great, Agrippa I and Agrippa II, John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus. The Josephus' books provide the most important contemporary reference to Jesus Christ. The following passage appears in the Greek version of Antiquities of the Jews XVIII 3.3, in the translation of William Whiston:

3.3 Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

The updated translations of Josephus' works by William Whiston are easy to read and are essential to understanding of the first century Jerusalem, the time of Christ and the New Testament.

Table of Contents:

List of Works:
1. Wars of the Jews or Jewish War or the History of the Destruction of Jerusalem (c. 75)
2. Antiquities of the Jews or Jewish Antiquities (c. 94)
3. Against Apion or Flavius Josephus Against Apion (c. 97)
4. The Life of Flavius Josephus or Autobiography of Flavius Josephus (c. 99)
5. Josephus' Discourse to the Greeks Concerning Hades (erroneously attributed to Josephus, now believed to be the work of Hippolytus of Rome)

Appendix:
1. Maps of Palestine: 830 BC | 50 AD | Galilee 50 AD
2. Maps of Assyria and Persian Empire: Assyria 824-671 BC | Persian Empire 490 BC
3. Maps of Roman Empire: 218 BC - 117 AD | 69 AD | 117 AD | Legions Camps 80 AD
4. Models: Jerusalem | Solomon's Temple | Herod's Temple
5. Timeline Graphical: Near East 3000-600 BC | Hasmonaean Dynasty 175 BC-35 BC | Roman Empire 60 BC-450 AD
6. Timeline of Places: Palestine | Biblical Israel and Judah | Jerusalem | Ancient Rome
7. Timeline of Jewish Leaders: Kings of Judah | Kings of Israel | High Priests | Hasmonaean Dynasty | Herodian Dynasty | Herod | Christianity
8. Timeline of Roman Leaders: Emperors | Procurators of Judaea
9. Graphical Family Trees: Herod | Herod and Mariamne | Flavian Dynasty
10. Biographies: Josephus | Hasmonaean Dynasty | Herodian Dynasty | Herod | Vespasian | Titus | Domitian
11. History: Palestine | Biblical Israel and Judah | Iudaea Province | First Jewish-Roman War (66-73) | Kitos War (115-117) | Second Jewish-Roman War (132-135)
12. Calendar: Hebrew | Julian | Syrian/Macedonian
13. Coinage: Most Common | Hebrew | Greek | Roman
14. Units of Measure: Conversion | Relationship between units of length and human body
15. Josephus on Jesus: Antiquities of the Jews-Book XVIII | Antiquities of the Jews-Book XX | Description of Essenes

· Complete edition includes ALL Josephus' works.
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