The New Complete Works of Josephus

Nobody annotates a translation like William Whiston did. This book was first published in 1737. The text Whiston had was less complete and had many transcription errors that hadn't yet been detected. At one point in his life, Whiston fell afoul of the church because he proudly adopted Arianism. This translation is a wonderful accomplishment and has made an impact on contemporary translators who surely compare their results with his. There can be no doubt that Flavius Josephus was a monumental historian. Without his works, we would know very much less about Judea and Israel than we do. In 'Antiquities of the Jews', we begin with the creation of the world and end up during the Maccabean revolt. Most of this longest history is drawn directly from books of the Bible. I hesitate to use the word 'summary', but it is also an explication of the Biblical text. For me, the most interesting parts are the story about Alexander the Great's visit to Jerusalem, the way the Septuagint was written. There are brief passages about Jesus Christ, St. John the Baptist, and St. James the Just. The authenticity of these passages was challenged even by Eusebius of Caesarea in 324 CE. Whiston defends the hypothesis that they are authentic. 'The Wars of the Jews' takes us from the Maccabean revolt through the autobiography of Flavius Josephus. This work was originally written in his 'paternal tongue' (Aramaic). He then translated it into classical Greek. Only the Greek text survives. This is an autobiography written 400 years before its subject was born. Josephus became the governor of Galilee as a fairly young man. He was a bibliophile, a Pharisee, and a politician destined to witness Jerusalem destroyed in 70AD. The word 'Flavius' in his name meant he had been adopted by the emperor Vespasian and his son Titus. He was a member of the imperial household because he remained loyal to Rome. There are some minor works and a very early Christian sermon as well in this complete works. Whether you agree with Whiston that Flavius Josephus converted to Christianity is up to you. I'm not convinced that he did, and have developed the strong opinion that he did not. I like some contemporary translations better than this. Whiston wrote and translated well, but it is an 18th century idiom throughout. There's a degree to which this is delightful, but it's almost the fault of Josephus for using very odd grammar that this is a harder read than necessary. He was trying to imitate classical Greek authors in the original. This leads to an awkward style that can't always be improved by a translator. This is a good deep-cut and has a nice index. It has some wild opinions, of both Josephus and Whiston, and will be sure to raise many questions for you.

This is a wonderful addition to any library. The book itself is beautiful and contains invaluable material for in-depth understanding of Jewish history. The introduction includes details of the life of historian Flavius Josephus and is followed up with the Jewish Antiquities and the Jewish war. I highly recommend getting this book.

The New Complete Works of Josephus is an impressive collection of writings that sheds light on the ancient world of Judea and Rome. Josephus, a Jewish historian and general, wrote extensively about the events that took place during his time, including the Jewish Wars, the fall of Jerusalem, and the lives of the ruling families of Judea. This book includes all of Josephus' major works and some of his lesser-known writings, making it a comprehensive look into the world of Antiquity. What sets this edition apart from others is the excellent translation and high-quality commentary. The editor, William Whiston, provides a helpful introduction to each work, as well as footnotes throughout the text, providing much-needed context and explanation for modern readers. Additionally, the appendix includes a wealth of information on the geography, customs, and people of the time, further enhancing the reader's understanding. Overall, The New Complete Works of Josephus is an essential resource for anyone interested in the ancient world and the history of Judaism and Christianity. It is a valuable addition to any library, whether personal or academic.

THE NEW COMPLETE WORKS OF JOSEPHUS If you have an avid interest in ancient history, especially the history of the Old Testament, the intertestament period between the Old and New Testaments, the events leading up to the final destruction of Jerusalem and the last stand of the Jewish zealots at Masada, then this is the book for you. Josephus was an unusual man who survived the ravishes of the war with the Romans and became the chronicler of Jewish and Roman history. He was a Jewish General feared and admired by his enemies, the Romans. When he was captured, calls for his execution went unheeded. He gave up the sword soaked in Roman blood to take up the pen of a historian. Some of his countrymen viewed him as a traitor. Within these pages are tales of intrigue in the royal courts, the madness of kings, the senseless slaughter of men, women and children, and interwoven with the great figures of history. Some passages are extremely long and border on tedium to the nth degree. However, even the tedium of details is worth the read. Other passages are just fascinating- Moses, the General of Egypt's army, wins a war against Ethiopians and marries Tharbis, Princess of Ethiopia. Their descendents would rule Ethiopia for centuries. There is a lot of sadness in these pages, especially the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The Jewish nation was decimated in the first century. The last bastion of Jewish resistance was a thousand men, women and children who made their heroic stand against the approaching legions. The fateful decision by the leaders of Masada as the Romans prepared for the final assault will not only touch the heart, but it will reaffirm a basic principle of the human spirit- it is better to die free than become a slave of the oppressor. These stories and many others are found in these 1000 plus pages. This is a serious work for the equally serious reader.

The book, the hard cover version, came as advertised. The binding is well made, sturdy and should last long with proper handling. The paper is white about 60/70 gsm but strong enough for normal use. The printing is really tiny because there are two columns per page, and that makes the reading very tiring to the eyes. If this is not an issue, then this single volume will suffice. I have not tried to finish reading this book, it’s really voluminous. But the book is very rich in contents, and I use it as reference. It makes a very valuable addition to any library and to those thirsting to acquire additional knowledge.

Love reading history especially in Jesus times.

Great book. It has both the historically traditional and modern citation references. This is a great resource for any library.

Fast shipping. Beautiful book.

Very useful.

Well, this is my third version of this book, having given away my 2 previous copies. A great reference for Historians, Christians and Jews alike. Josephus gives us the whole old testament from a first century rabbinic tradition, so it's worth it just for this perspective. His writing over the Hellenic period is also much enlightening as this can be a very complicated and emotional period of history. It also goes much of the way to debunk the traditional view as the book of Daniel being a book of prophecy writen during the period of exile by Christians at least. My only critisism is that the excellent translation by Whiston is a little archaic compared with modern language. But if you are a fan of the King James Bible, this should represent no obstacle to you. Amazing value and hardcover to last. This should be on many shelves as an important reference.

I have always wanted to read secular books around the time of Christ. It gives you a history of men that lived in biblical times. You cans read from this book and cross reference with the Bible.

I absolutely love the detail of Hisyory contained in these writings. It has proven useful and has also confirmed many much more in relation to what I have marked out in other books of study. Thank you for keeping it in good condition. Peace n Maintain

Complete as the title does say. Very helpful for Christians who want to understand the history of Jews. I like it.