Who is Flavius Josephus really: a reliable historian, an indispensable witness to Second Temple Judaism, or an author who must always be read with caution?
At our “ÉBAF Thursday” on May 21, we explored this question with a lecture by Matthieu Delmeulle, a PhD student at UCLouvain and an ÉBAF fellow, entitled: “Applying double standards with Flavius Josephus”.
A key figure in the study of ancient Judaism and the historical context of Christian origins, Flavius Josephus occupies a unique place in contemporary research. His writings constitute a major source for the history of the first century, whilst raising numerous methodological questions: how can we reconcile archaeological data with the accounts transmitted through the texts? Can the same evaluation criteria be applied to literary sources and material discoveries? What reflections can be made on these historiographical issues and on the ways in which researchers today use Josephus’s work in the study of the ancient Near East?
As with the other ‘ÉBAF Thursdays’ lectures, a recording is available on the YouTube channel of the ÉBAF: