Section 1 Summary and Analysis

The Introduction and Preface to this translated history, first published in 1959, covers significant events of the interaction between the Roman and Jewish people from 167 B.C. (also termed B.C.E.) through 73 A.D. (or C.E.). "The Jewish War" was written by the contemporary Flavius Josephus, who lived from 37 A.D. to the late 90's A.D. with last recorded work finished after 93 A.D. Josephus was trained as a Jewish rabbi and lived in Jerusalem.

The Introduction indicates Josephus was born in 37 A.D., the son of Matthias and into the priestly family of the early Hasmonaeans. In that year Gaius, also called Caligula became emperor and was already mentally unstable four years before his assassination for desecrating the Temple. Josephus was educated in a Jerusalem rabbinical school. He studied and lived with Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes for three...