• A new translation of Josephus' Jewish War, whose history is without parallel in the surviving documents of the Roman Empire
• Introduction and notes by an acknowledged authority on Roman and Jewish history Martin Goodman
• Martin Hammond's translation gives a vivid sense of the energy, variety, and literary skill of Josephus' great work
• Full maps and plans to clarify the regions and places mentioned in the text
• Comprehensive analytical index

   
I am Josephus...I myself fought against the Romans' 

In August of AD 70 the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman forces after a six-month siege. This was the disastrous outcome of a Jewish revolt against Roman domination which began in AD 66 with some early success, but soon became mired in factional conflict. The war ended in the destruction of the famous Jewish Temple (rebuilt by Herod the Great a century before). 

The remarkable story of the war is narrated by an eye-witness and participant, Josephus. He was at first a rebel commander, then after his capture, supported Titus in the final assault on Jerusalem. Josephus spares no detail of a horrific conflict - atrocities on both sides, the reign of terror in Jerusalem, the appalling conditions of the siege, and the final mass suicide at Masada. His vivid narrative is our prime source for this period of history. It is a dramatic story, with resonances to the present day.