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The Life of Flavius Josephus -
Autobiography
Page 02 — Chapter 8-11
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8. When I had therefore received these
instructions, I came into
Galilee, and found the people of Sepphoris in no small agony
about their country, by reason that the Galileans had resolved to
plunder it, on account of the friendship they had with the
Romans, and because they had given their right hand, and made a
league with Cestius Gallus, the president of Syria. But I
delivered them all out of the fear they were in, and persuaded
the multitude to deal kindly with them, and permitted them to
send to those that were their own hostages with Gessius to Dora,
which is a city of Phoenicia, as often as they pleased; though I
still found the inhabitants of Tiberias ready to take arms, and
that on the occasion following: -
9. There were three factions in this city. The first was composed
of men of worth and gravity; of these Julius Capellus was the
head. Now he, as well as all his companions, Herod the son of
Miarus, and Herod the son of Gamalus, and Compsus the son of
Compsus; (for as to Compsus's brother Crispus, who had once been
governor of the city under the great king [Agrippa] (8) he was
beyond Jordan in his own possessions;) all these persons before
named gave their advice, that the city should then continue in
their allegiance to the Romans and to the king. But Pistus, who
was guided by his son Justus, did not acquiesce in that
resolution; otherwise he was himself naturally of a good and
virtuous character. But the second faction was composed of the
most ignoble persons, and was determined for war. But as for
Justus, the son of Pistus, who was the head of the third faction,
although he pretended to be doubtful about going to war, yet was
he really desirous of innovation, as supposing that he should
gain power to himself by the change of affairs.
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He therefore came into the midst of them, and endeavored to inform
the multitude that "the city Tiberius had ever been a city of
Galilee, and that in the days of Herod the tetrarch, who had built
it, it had obtained the principal place, and that he had ordered
that the city Sepphoris should be subordinate to the city Tiberias; that
they had not lost this preeminence even under Agrippa the father,
but had retained it until Felix was procurator of Judea. But he
told them, that now they had been so unfortunate as to be made a
present by Nero to Agrippa, junior; and that, upon Sepphoris's
submission of itself to the Romans, that was become the capital
city of Galilee, and that the royal library and the archives were
now removed from them." When he had spoken these things, and a
great many more, against king Agrippa, in order to provoke the
people to a revolt, he added that "this was the time for them to
take arms, and join with the Galileans as their confederates
(whom they might command, and who would now willingly assist
them, out of the hatred they bare to the people of Sepphoris;
because they preserved their fidelity to the Romans), and to
gather a great number of forces, in order to punish them." And as
he said this, he exhorted the multitude, [to go to war;] for his
abilities lay in making harangues to the people, and in being too
hard in his speeches for such as opposed him, though they advised
what was more to their advantage, and this by his craftiness and
his fallacies, for he was not unskilful in the learning of the
Greeks; and in dependence on that skill it was, that he undertook
to write a history of these affairs, as aiming, by this way of
haranguing, to disguise the truth. But as to this man, and how
ill were his character and conduct of life, and how he and his
brother were, in great measure, the authors of our destruction, I
shall give the reader an account in the progress of my narration.
So when Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed with the
citizens of Tiberias to take arms, nay, and had forced a great
many so to do against their wills, he went out, and set the
villages that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on fire; which
villages were situated on the borders of Tiberias, and of the
region of Scythopolis.
10. And this was the state Tiberias was now in. But as for
Gischala, its affairs were thus: - When John, the son of Levi,
saw some of the citizens much elevated upon their revolt from the
Romans, he labored to restrain them, and entreated them that they
would keep their allegiance to them. But he could not gain his
purpose, although he did his endeavors to the utmost; for the
neighboring people of Gadara, Gabara, and Sogana, wth the
Tyrians, got together a great army, and fell upon Gischala, and
took Gischala by force, and set it on fire; and when they had
entirely demolished it, they returned home. Upon which John was
so enraged, that he armed all his men, and joined battle with the
people forementioned; and rebuilt Gischala after a manner better
than before, and fortified it with walls for its future security.
11. But Gamala persevered in its allegiance to the Romans, for
the reason following: - Philip, the son of Jacimus, who was their
governor under king Agrippa, had been unexpectedly preserved when
the royal palace at Jerusalem had been besieged; but, as he fled
away, had fallen into another danger, and that was, of being
killed by Manahem, and the robbers that were with him; but
certain Babylonians, who were of his kindred, and were then in
Jerusalem, hindered the robbers from executing their design. So
Philip staid there four days, and fled away on the fifth, having
disguised himself with fictitious hair, that he might not be
discovered; and when he was come to one of the villages to him
belonging, but one that was situated at the borders of the
citadel of Gamala, he sent to some of those that were under him,
and commanded them to come to him. But God himself hindered that
his intention, and this for his own advantage also; for had it
not so happened, he had certainly perished. For a fever having
seized upon him immediately, he wrote to Agrippa and Bernice, and
gave them to one of his freed-men to carry them to Varus, who at
this time was procurator of the kingdom, which the king and his
sister had intrusted him withal, while they were gone to Berytus
with an intention of meeting Gessius. When Varus had received
these letters of Philip, and had learned that he was preserved,
he was very uneasy at it, as supposing that he should appear
useless to the king and his sister, now Philip was come. He
therefore produced the carrier of the letters before the
multitude, and accused him of forging the same; and said that he
spake falsely when he related that Philip was at Jerusalem,
fighting among the Jews against the Romans. So he slew him. And
when this freed-man of Philip did not return again, Philip was
doubtful what should be the occasion of his stay, and sent a
second messenger with letters, that he might, upon his return,
inform him what had befallen the other that had been sent before,
and why he tarried so long. Varus accused this messenger also,
when he came, of telling a falsehood, and slew him. For he was
puffed up by the Syrians that were at Caesarea, and had great
expectations; for they said that Agrippa would be slain by the
Romans for the crimes which the Jews had committed, and that he
should himself take the government, as derived from their kings;
for Varus was, by the confession of all, of the royal family, as
being a descendant of Sohemus, who had enjoyed a tetrarchy about
Libanus; for which reason it was that he was puffed up, and kept
the letters to himself. He contrived, also, that the king should
not meet with those writings, by guarding all the passes, lest
any one should escape, and inform the king what had been done. He
moreover slew many of the Jews, in order to gratify the Syrians
of Cesarea. He had a mind also to join with the Trachonites in
Batanea, and to take up arms and make an assault upon the
Babylonian Jews that were at Ecbatana; for that was the name they
went by. He therefore called to him twelve of the Jews of
Cesarea, of the best character, and ordered them to go to
Ecbatana, and inform their countrymen who dwelt there, That Varus
hath heard that "you intend to march against the king; but, not
believing that report, he hath sent us to persuade you to lay
down your arms, and that this compliance will be a sign that he
did well not to give credit to those that raised the report
concerning you." He also enjoined them to send seventy of their
principal men to make a defense for them as to the accusation
laid against them. So when the twelve messengers came to their
countrymen at Ecbatana, and found that they had no designs of
innovation at all, they persuaded them to send the seventy men
also; who, not at all suspecting what would come, sent them
accordingly. So these seventy went down to Caesarea, together
with the twelve ambassadors; where Varus met them with the king's
forces, and slew them all, together with the [twelve] (9)
ambassadors, and made an expedition against the Jews of Ecbatana.
But one there was of the seventy who escaped, and made haste to
inform the Jews of their coming; upon which they took their arms,
with their wives and children, and retired to the citadel at
Gamala, leaving their own villages full of all sorts of good
things, and having many ten thousands of cattle therein. When
Philip was informed of these things, he also came to the citadel
of Gamala; and when he was come, the multitude cried aloud, and
desired him to resume the government, and to make an expedition
against Varus, and the Syrians of Cesarea; for it was reported
that they had slain the king. But Philip restrained their zeal,
and put them in mind of the benefits the king had bestowed upon
them; and told them how powerful the Romans were, and said it was
not for their advantage to make war with them; and at length he
prevailed with them. But now, when the king was acquainted with
Varus's design, which was to cut off the Jews of Caesarea, being
many ten thousands, with their wives and children, and all in one
day, he called to him Equiculus Modius, and sent him to be
Varus's successor, as we have elsewhere related. But still Philip
kept possession of the citadel of Gamala, and of the country
adjoining to it, which thereby continued in their allegiance to
the Romans.
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