Josephus provides a detailed and gripping account of the Jewish-Roman war in this historical narrative. The Wars of the Jews offers a fascinating insight into the conflict that ultimately led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. Josephus' firsthand knowledge and perspective as a Jewish general turned Roman historian make this book a valuable resource for understanding this period of history. The vivid descriptions of battles, sieges, and political machinations bring the events to life and engage the reader from start to finish. While the text may be dense at times, the importance of the information conveyed cannot be overstated. Overall, The Wars of the Jews is a must-read for anyone interested in ancient history, military strategy, or the dynamics of power and conquest.

Book Description:

The Wars of the Jews (or The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, or as it usually appears in modern English translations, The Jewish War – original title: Phlauiou Iôsêpou historia Ioudaïkou polemou pros Rhômaious bibliona) is a book written by the 1st century Jewish historian Josephus.

It is a description of Jewish history from the capture of Jerusalem by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 164 BC to the fall and destruction of Jerusalem in the First Jewish-Roman War in AD 70. The book was written about 75, originally in Josephus’s “paternal tongue”, probably Aramaic, though this version has not survived. It was later translated into Greek, probably under the supervision of Josephus himself.

The sources of knowledge that we have of this war are: Josephus’s account and from the Talmud (gittin 57b) and in midrash Eichah.