Priests Attempt to Prevent Revolt

Josephus

The Jewish War 2.316–318, 336

ca. 75

Alarmed at this demonstration, the political leaders and the chief priests tore their clothes and made grovelling appeals throughout the crowd, imploring them to desist, and not to add to what they had already suffered by provoking Florus to do some irreparable damage. The crowd readily complied out of respect for the men making the appeal, and in…

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When rebellion brews against the corrupt and tyrannical Roman procurator Gessius Florus, high-ranking priests and other leaders persuade the people not to provoke Florus into violent retaliation. Florus, however, intent on conflict, meets with the priests and leaders and tells them to convey to the people that the only way to avoid retaliation is to welcome a troop of Roman soldiers coming from Caesarea. Later, priests and other leaders meet with the Judean client king Agrippa II and complain to him about Florus’ treatment of the people. For the larger context of these events, see “The First Flames of War.”

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Creator Bio

Josephus

37–100

Flavius Josephus was born into a prominent Jewish priestly family and served as a general stationed in the Galilee during the First Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE). He was captured by the Romans and eventually integrated into the Flavian imperial aristocracy, who commissioned him to compose chronicles of the Jewish–Roman war and the history of the Jews. Josephus’ works, all written in Greek, include The Jewish War, Jewish Antiquities, Against Apion, and his autobiography, Life of Josephus. These writings provide important insights into the Judaisms of the Second Temple period and include one of the few surviving accounts of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

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