Life of Josephus: The Autobiography of Flavius Josephus

Abstract The autobiographic work of Flavius Josephus Life of Josephus (further Life), which focuses on the man Josephus, was exceptional in the Jewish literature of that time. An inquiry into the structure of Life, its components, contents, and the way Josephus described himself both as an individual and as a public figure indicates that Josephus wrote his autobiography in a manner that would suit the social and political criteria of the Roman society, within which he lived when he wrote this work. Josephus’ explanations of Jewish concepts in Life and the findings of our inquiry show that he intended his work to be read mainly by foreign readers, and moreover, that he wanted to be perceived as a positive public figure fitting the standards prevailing in their culture.