The Jewish War: Revised Edition (Penguin Classics)

In August of AD 70 the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman forces after a six-month siege. This was the disastrous outcome of a Jewish revolt against Roman domination which began in AD 66 with some early success, but soon became mired in factional conflict. The war ended in the destruction of the famous Jewish Temple (rebuilt by Herod the Great a century before). The remarkable story of the war is narrated by an eye-witness and participant, Josephus. He was at first a rebel commander, then after his capture, supported Titus in the final assault on Jerusalem. Josephus spares no detail of a horrific conflict - atrocities on both sides, the reign of terror in Jerusalem, the appalling conditions of the siege, and the final mass suicide at Masada. His vivid narrative is our prime source for this period of history. It is a dramatic story, which resonates to the present day.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member William345

The Jewish War started strong and I wondered at first if it might hold a candle to Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War. It doesn't in the end. Much of it comes across as a piece of special pleading. Josephus wrote the book during a time of growing hostility under Roman Emperor Domitian

(reigned 81-96 CE) toward those of the Jewish faith. The Jews had long had an official exemption from participation in the state rites, yet the increasingly tyrannical Domitian firmly believed in the traditional Roman religion, and personally saw to it that ancient customs and morals were observed throughout his reign as a means of justifying the divine nature of Flavian rule. Josephus's friends and protectors, the Flavian emperors Vespasian and Titus, were dead by this time. Moreover, Josephus was writing against a work by Justin of Tiberias that portrayed him as an instigator of the revolt in Galilee. So The Jewish War is very much Josephus' apologia. He loses no opportunity to excoriate the character of his fellow Jews, though he grudgingly admires their fighting ability, or to praise the valor, insight, patience, fair play, discipline, and training of the Romans. All the Jews by contrast are murderous banditti who pollute their own sanctuary, and turn on each other in a heinous fratricidal civil war that precedes the arrival of the Romans. The Jewish leaders--John, Simon, the Zealots, the Idumeans--are the scum of the earth. Josephus often uses that very phrase. They, he says, possess no conscience or moral bearing. It all gets to be a bit much in the end. Though the book lacks crucial balance I nevertheless recommend it for two reasons: (1) its uniqueness as a document; and (2) it's detailed and vivid depictions of ancient Judea. Nothing I've read has ever provided me with such a detailed look at both ancient Jerusalem and the broader landscape of Judea.

Show Less

7 more

LibraryThing member endersreads

Josephus is as entertaining a writer, if not more so, than the other popular historians. Some of you may know that Tacitus relates to us some of Josephus' work pertaining to the datum on Jerusalem. Anyone interested in Christianity, Judaism, Rome's conquests, Warfare, or simply being a witness to

utter destruction, should read Josephus' "Jewish War". Josephus proves to be as tricky as his intellectual progeny, Machiavelli. He amazes us by out-witting the Romans at every turn and when finally cornered, we are taken aback by his very wise defection to the Romans! What makes him even more of an enjoyable character is his tendancy to exagerrate a bit. I'll leave it to you to find out the details, they are quite worth finding! Enjoy this delectable piece of history!

Show Less

LibraryThing member jon1lambert

This is a copy from the Israeli edition, reprinted in Israel by Steimatzky's Agency. It is narrower than a usual Penguin.

LibraryThing member Benedict8

This is quite a story of real life events by an eyewitness.

Tho book has has some of the most powerful writing about events to be found anywhere.

The author was there at Masada.

LibraryThing member LeonardGMokos

People... what a bunch of bastards.

LibraryThing member Frans_J_Vermeiren

A marvellous edition of one of the greatest books ever written by a historian. This edition contains a lot of photographs and other illustrations and - even more important - extensive first-class commentary.

LibraryThing member ffifield

The story of how and why the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD four years after a Jewish revolt.

LibraryThing member claidheamdanns

Well read, but somewhat lengthy and tedious subject matter. Still, I am pleased to have finally “read” this great classic!

Fewer