#6 Josephus: Historian of the Jews
Monday – 1:00 p.m. Winter Term 2009 (14 weeks)
Coordinator: Frank Morton Co-coordinator: Barbara Camras
Course Description
The history of Josephus again proves that fact is far stranger than fiction. His life story would make a spellbinding movie.
Born of royal descent in Jerusalem in AD 37 just after Pilot’s departure, he later became a priest and reluctantly participated in the first Jewish revolt. He surrendered himself to the Romans and saw the fall of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple. Released from slavery and adopted by Vespasian, he became a Roman citizen and spent the second half of his life writing the history of the Jews.
This S/DG will study all aspects of Josephus’ life and works including his great Antiquities of the Jews from creation through the revolt and his Wars of the Jews.
Please see below for a list of the topics that we will be discussing.
Topics
- The Roman Empire
- Josephus: Family, Education and Formation
- Flavious Josephus
- Antiquities of the Jews: by Josephus
- The Jewish Wars: by Josephus
- Josephus and the New Testament
- Josephus and the Pharisees
- God & Israel in Josephus
- Josephus in the diaspora
- Josephus & the Jewish history in Rome
- Josephus & Hellenism
- Herod
- Josephus-theology
- Modern conception of Josephus
Bibliography
Mason, Steve. Flavious Josephus and the Pharisees.
Mason, Steve. Josephus in the New Testament.
Mason, Steve. Understanding Josephus.
Rajak, Tessa. Josephus’s History & Society.
Sievers, Joseph. Josephus and Jewish History in Rome.
Whiston, William. The Complete Works of Josephus.
Bilde, Per. Josephus between Jerusalem & Rome.
Pre-Meeting: Monday, Monday, December 22nd at 1:00 p.m (this is a change)
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