History of the Jews. Flavius Josephus [Yosef ben Matityahu] Translated from Several Greek Manuscripts, by Arnauld ...

History of the Jews. Flavius Josephus [Yosef ben Matityahu] Translated from Several Greek Manuscripts, by Arnauld d'Andilly. Paris 1681

Histoire des Juifs : ecrite par Flavius Joseph, sous le titre de Antiquités Judaïques. traduite sur l'original Grec reveu [sic] sur divers manuscrits par Monsieur Arnauld d'Andilly. Paris, 1681.

Specifications: [20], 758, [21] pages, paper. 30 cm. French. Decorated with woodcuts connected to Biblical and historical events up to the Roman period.

Unique Features: Yosef ben Matityahu [c. 37-100], known by his Roman name Flavius Josephus. Commander of the Jewish rebellion of 66 in the Galilee, surrendered to the Romans and became a Jewish historian for them. The four books which he wrote in Greek, The Jewish War, Antiquities of the Jews, The Life of Flavius Josephus and Against Apion (On the Antiquity of the Jewish People), were preserved and are the central source of information about the years preceding the destruction of the Second Temple. Christian theology took great interest in his books, and the founders of the Church often quote him. In contrast, rabbis only learned the writings of Yosef ben Matityahu from the book Josippon which was written in the 10th century based on his works. Jews only began to investigate Ben Matityahu's Greek works in the 19th century, and they were translated in Hebrew for the first time in 1862.

Condition: Fine-very fine. Minimal aging stains. Wooden cover covered with original leather with slight blemishes on the spine.