Jerusalem's Traitor: Josephus, Masada, and the Fall of Judea »

Desmond Seward is the author of many books, including The Monks of War, The Hundred Years War, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He lives in London.

From a leading historian, the life and works of Josephus in first-century Jerusalem, during the war against Rome, the siege of Masada, and early Christianity

Dann Wigner - Library Journal

Seward (Monks of War) attempts to provide a lively and descriptive summary of Josephus's life and works. He succeeds in this aim by condensing the copious details of Josephus's Vita and The Jewish War into a readable synopsis for generally educated readers. However, Seward sacrifices any significant discussion of historical background or critical analysis for the sake of readability. A few small historical inaccuracies are also present in this work, and there is only a brief deliberation on the massacre at Masada. Nevertheless, this text would be appropriate for most general readers. Students and advanced readers in search of a one-volume critical treatment of Josephus would benefit further from Flavius Josephus & Flavian Rome, edited by Jonathan Edmondson and others, or Steve Mason's Josephus, Judea, and Christian Origins.

List of Maps ix

Acknowledgments xi

Preface: "Masada Shall Not Fall Again" xiii

Introduction: The Land Where Josephus Was Born 1

1 A Young Nobleman 9

2 An Occupied Country 19

3 Rome and Poppaea 29

4 The Jew Baiter 41

5 War 48

6 Governor of Galilee 58

7 The Return of the Legions 77

8 The Siege of Jotapata 83

9 The Cave and the Prophecy 93

10 Josephus the Prisoner 102

11 John of Gischala Comes to Jerusalem 114

12 The Zealot Revolution 123

13 The Reconquest of Judea 130

14 Simon bar Giora 137

15 The Year of the Four Emperors 145

16 Titus Takes Command 155

17 The Siege Begins 168

18 Inside Jerusalem 185

19 The Wooden Wall 194

20 The Destruction of the Temple 208

21 A Holocaust 223

22 The Propagandist 241

23 Masada and the Last Zealots 247

24 A Roman Citizen 260

25 History's Verdict 272

Notes 277

Select Bibliography 293

Index 301