Flavius Josephus Analysis

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The destruction of the Jewish temple and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans around 70 C.E. is a significant part of the saga of the Jewish people. The destruction of this famous cultural city and its renowned temple had extreme and far fetching consequences for not only the inhabitants of the city but to all Jewish culture. When examining the causation of this destruction historians turn to one of the most important primary sources of the event the historian Flavius Josephus. Josephus who was there for the occurrence gives scholars their fundamental understanding of this significant historical incident. Josephus in his narrative “The Jewish Wars” where he chronicles the struggle of the Jews with the Romans is where he records …show more content…
However, he would eventually come to be freed and then of his own will work for the man who conquered him, Vespasian whom would later become emperor. Josephus would eventually fully support Roman control of Jewish-held lands. He also eventually would work alongside Vespasian 's son Titus who from his writings he held in high regard as a good and just commander and person and under whom he would see the siege of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple. (Josephus 345, 368) Josephus is one of the only primary sources that we have on what happened during this crucial event in Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish temple. The book “The Jewsih Wars” is where he chronicles the event as well as many other important historical events relevant to the understanding of Jewish culture and history in the classical world. Josephus on the destruction of the temple gives a few main reasons as to why he believes the event unfolded as it did. Firstly, there being the general dislike of many Romans for the Jews in general as well as a theological separation within the Jew’s ranks and most imperatively that many of the soldiers present at the siege and destruction openly had a cultural hatred for the people whom they were trying to quell. Second, the pride and stubbornness of the Jewish ‘rebels’ when dealing with the invasion by said Romans. Lastly, comes the concept of destiny and Josephus belief that Jerusalem and the temple were always foretold to

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