Events Surrounding Josephus writing Description of the Roman Army

“This account I have given the reader, not so much with the intention of commending the Romans, as of comforting those that have been conquered by them, and for the deterring others from attempting innovations under their government. This discourse of the Roman military conduct may also perhaps be of use to such of the curious as are ignorant of it, and yet have a mind to know it.” –excerpt from “Description of the Roman Army,” by Josephus

Josephus, a Jewish priest, was said to be hated by his Jewish people for the relationship he held with Rome and the Romans hated him because of his ties to the Jewish faith. His writings have been criticized as being nothing more than Pro-Roman propaganda.

Born in the year 37 C.E., a few years after the time of Jesus, Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathius, in Jerusalem. He grew up in the Early Common Era, during the time the Romans occupied his Jewish homeland. His father was a priest and his mother was of royal descent.

He was well educated, fluent in both Hebrew and Aramaic and spoke but could barely write in Greek and Latin. By the age of 14, he was being consulted by high priests in the matters of Jewish law. He was a very intelligent, young man. He was a Jewish priest, a scholar, and a historian.

In his early twenties, Josephus was called away to Rome to negotiate the release of some priests being held hostage by Emperor Nero. Upon his return, he found that his nation had begun a revolution with the Romans. He was then drafted into becoming commander of the revolutionary forces of Galilee. He spent more time trying to work out internal problems than fighting the Roman Army. When Jotapata, the city he was defending, was taken over by Roman General Vespasian, he and h...

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...rationalized that he might’ve done whatever he could to please his captures.

I believe that from reading “The Description of the Roman Army,” that Josephus really, truly, admired the Roman Army. He did believe them to be superior organization. He described their nature as being a “perfect discipline” and described them as very efficient. He goes on to say that “their opponents cannot match theses qualities.” It is understandable that his own people would consider him a traitor, because he is glorifying the Roman Army, the army that destroyed his people.

This is a historical document, however accurate or inaccurate it might be, it is one of the very few pieces of writing we have from back in the time of the Jewish war. It is highly influential. I think it’s a very interesting piece of history. It gives us some perspective into this classical period in time.