Josephus

Bentwich, Norman, 1883-1971Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 383K words
Chapters: 39

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Josephus by Norman BentwichAuthor: Bentwich, Norman, 1883-1971,Language: English, Class: DS: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Asia, Release Date: Jan 1, 2006

Editor's review

This book is a biographical and critical study of Josephus by Norman Bentwich, a classic introductory work in English-language academic writing. Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian whose works are key sources for understanding Jewish history in the Second Temple period and the Roman-Jewish War, yet his stance and the reliability of his narratives have long been debated. Bentwich covers the subject's life, the background of his works, and his historiographical standing in a relatively concise manner; the prose is scholarly and restrained, making it a suitable first step into Josephan studies. Note that the book was written early, and some of its historical judgments and source analysis are no longer settled in current scholarship; readers should treat it as an introduction bearing the marks of its time rather than a final conclusion. It can be read alongside English translations of Josephus's own works to form independent judgments. The Project Gutenberg edition is a public-domain eBook, convenient for searching and excerpting, and suitable as course support material or a starting point for self-study.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to Josephus who are interested in ancient Jewish and Roman history and want a systematic introduction
History or religious studies students who need a concise English introduction as course supplement
Researchers and writers who need a public-domain electronic text for searching and citation
Readers who want to observe the early trajectory of Josephan studies from a historiographical perspective

Not a good fit for

General readers without English reading ability who expect a Chinese translation
Specialist researchers seeking the latest scholarly consensus or detailed source criticism
Readers who only want to read Josephus's own works and are not interested in secondary studies

Reading tips

Read a page or two of an English translation of Josephus's The Jewish War or Jewish Antiquities first; the book will then be more concrete.
Note the author's key judgments on the subject's stance as you read, and compare them with mainstream scholarly views afterward.
Use the book as an index: whenever a passage of the original is mentioned, check the source text to avoid relying only on secondhand summary.
If time is limited, prioritize the sections on his life and the background of his works; leave the historiographical evaluation for later.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book Josephus's original work or a study?

This is a study of Josephus by Norman Bentwich, a biography and historiographical commentary, not a Chinese or English translation of Josephus's own works. It can serve as a supplementary introduction to reading Josephus but cannot replace the originals.

Are the book's scholarly views still authoritative?

The book was written early, and some of its source judgments and evaluations differ from contemporary scholarship. It is better suited as an introduction to the early trajectory of research; readers should remain critical and compare it with more recent scholarship.

What background knowledge is needed to understand it?

A basic knowledge of Jewish history in the Second Temple period and the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire is helpful, as is the ability to read academic English. If entirely unfamiliar, start with a general history or the introduction to Josephus's own works before this book.

How is the electronic edition best used?

A public-domain electronic text is convenient for full-text searching, excerpting, and note-taking, and suitable as course support material or a quick reference tool for writing. Keep paper notes or use reference management software to record key passages together with their sources in the original works.

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About the author

Bentwich, Norman, 1883-1971 Author

Norman Bentwich (1883–1971) was a scholar who focused on Jewish thought in the Hellenistic period. Two of his works are held in this collection, dealing respectively with Philo of Alexandria and Josephus. Public information about his nationality, education, and professional career is limited, so no conjecture is offered here. Judging from the subjects of his works, his interest lay not in scattered source materials but in thinkers at the meeting point of the Greek world and Jewish tradition, and in the place these figures later came to occupy in religious and historical scholarship. Philo and Josephus are both key witnesses to the Mediterranean world around the turn of the era: one bridged Greek philosophy and Jewish faith through allegorical interpretation, the other recorded the Jewish War and left historical writings. Bentwich's narratives around these figures are plain in style and appear intended to introduce classic figures and texts to general readers, reflecting the enduring interest in Hellenistic Jewish literature in the English-speaking world.