Paula Modersohn Becker

The Wars of the Jews; Or, History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. By Flavius Josephus. The Complete 389 Page Text with Footnotes. An essential history of the Holy Land. Translated by William Whiston. Titus Flavius Josephus (37 – c. 100), also called Joseph ben Matityahu, 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.