Josephus

Family: Jewish · Role: governor of Galilee · First appears: Book II, Chapter 20

Josephus, a Jewish governor of Galilee and son of Matthias, was appointed over both Galilees in Book II, Chapter 20, while his brother John the son of Matthias governed Gophnitica and Acrabattene. He appointed seventy elders and seven judges in each city, fortified sites throughout Galilee and Gaulonitis, and assembled more than one hundred thousand young men into an army organized under captains and commanders. He consented to John the son of Levi fortifying Gischala, while John later grew envious and plotted against him; Silas served as guardian of a city under Josephus, and Josephus’s guards Levius and Clitus were involved when he ordered Clitus’s hands cut off, though Clitus agreed to cut off one himself. Joazar, Ananias (son of Sadduk), Simon (son of Jonathan), and Judas (son of Jonathan) were sent with armed men to turn the people against him, and Eneas received money connected with the repair of Gischala’s walls.

In Book III, Josephus attacked Sepphoris but failed against Placidus, and his camp at Garis dispersed before Vespasian’s forces arrived, leaving him to flee to Tiberias. After hiding for two days, he accepted Nicanor’s invitation and surrendered, surviving the planned killing of his companions before being taken under guard to Vespasian. Josephus declared, “Thou, O Vespasian, art Caesar and emperor, thou, and this thy son,” and Titus persuaded his father to preserve him; Vespasian later rewarded him with clothing and gifts, ordered his release, and had his iron chain cut after recognizing the prophecy. Josephus’s son Gorion is later named among those encouraged in Book IV.

In Book V, Josephus approached the wall with his familiar acquaintance Nicanor, who was wounded, and Titus then sent Josephus to urge the Jews to surrender Jerusalem. They rejected and reproached him, throwing darts, though Titus later had him displayed with recalled refugees, prompting many to flee to the Romans; in Book V, Titus also sent men to protect him. Around 72, Catullus falsely accused Josephus and other prominent Jews, but Vespasian, with Titus’s concern, cleared the accused and punished Jonathan.