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

Seward, Desmond

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0306818078 ISBN 13: 9780306818073

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2009

Synopsis

When the Jews revolted against Rome in 66 CE, Josephus, a Jerusalem aristocrat, was made a general in his nation's army. Captured by the Romans, he saved his skin by finding favor with the emperor Vespasian. He then served as an adviser to the Roman legions, running a network of spies inside Jerusalem, in the belief that the Jews' only hope of survival lay in surrender to Rome.

As a Jewish eyewitness who was given access to Vespasian's campaign notebooks, Josephus is our only source of information for the war of extermination that ended in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, and the amazing times in which he lived. He is of vital importance for anyone interested in the Middle East, Jewish history, and the early history of Christianity.

About this title

About the Author:

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.

Review:

Booklist, 5/15/09
“A very dynamic narrative pitched to general readers...[who] discover through Seward’s apt interrogation how valuable a resource Josephus is for scholars...Considering the symbolism this particular was acquired for the subsequent Jewish story. Seward’s astute interpretation and vivid re-creation is a popular-history imperative.”

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0306818078
• ISBN 13: 9780306818073
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 344