The Reliability of Josephus: Can He Be Trusted?

Authors

Eric D. Huntsman

Keywords

Mormon studies, Josephus, Judaism, authorship

Abstract

The author Joseph ben Matthias ha-Cohen, like most members of the Judean upper class, lived in several worlds at once. Born in A.D. 37 to an aristocratic family of priestly lineage, Josephus was ostensibly connected with the Hasmonean family that had ruled Judea between 165 B.C. and 38 B.C. His native language was Aramaic, although the was well versed in Hebrew, which by his time was largely a liturgical language. He was an observant Jew whose religious interests led him to affiliate with the three major schools of Judaism—the Sadducees, Essenes, and the Pharisees.

Recommended Citation

Huntsman, Eric D. (1996) "The Reliability of Josephus: Can He Be Trusted?," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 36: Iss. 3, Article 28.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol36/iss3/28