Josephus, Flavius, << joh SEE fuhs, FLAY vee uhs >> (A.D. 37?-100?), was a Jewish historian. He wrote The Jewish War, a history of the war between the Jews and Romans, and Jewish Antiquities, a history of the Jews.
Josephus was born Joseph ben Matthias in Jerusalem. He was an aristocrat, a priest, and a Pharisee (see Pharisees ). He commanded Jewish forces in Palestine during the great Jewish revolt that broke out there against Roman rule in A.D. 66. The Jews were defeated, but Josephus was spared by the Roman commander. Josephus later became a Roman citizen.
