A History of the Jewish War: AD 66–74

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Cambridge University Press, Feb 24, 2016 - History
A conflict that erupted between Roman legions and some Judaeans in late AD 66 had an incalculable impact on Rome's physical appearance and imperial governance; on ancient Jews bereft of their mother-city and temple; and on early Christian fortunes. Historical scholarship and cinema alike tend to see the conflict as the culmination of long Jewish resistance to Roman oppression. In this volume, Steven Mason re-examines the war in all relevant contexts (such as the Parthian dimension, and Judaea's place in Roman Syria) and phases, from the Hasmoneans to the fall of Masada. Mason approaches each topic as a historical investigation, clarifying problems that need to be solved, understanding the available evidence, and considering scenarios that might explain the evidence. The simplest reconstructions make the conflict more humanly intelligible while casting doubt on received knowledge.
 

Contents

Contents
War in context
Warfare in Human Perspective
Investigations
and causes of the revolt
Appendix
Bibliographical Abbreviations
Index to Historical Persons Groups and Places
Copyright

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About the author (2016)

Steve Mason is Distinguished Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions and Cultures in the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands. A former Canada Research Chair (in Greco-Roman Cultural Interaction) at Toronto's York University and Visiting Fellow in Oxford and Berlin, he has published several monographs and scores of essays on Roman Judaea, Josephus, Flavian Rome, Christian origins, and historical method. He edits the multi-volume international project Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary.

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