The Historical Method of Flavius Josephus
Overview
In this important volume, Varneda investigates and analyzes all of the historiographical problems present in the works of Flavius Josephus. By taking this broader, holistic perspective, Varneda seeks to present an exhaustive analysis of Josephus' strategy as a historian.
Varneda divides his study into three major sections. The first examines historical causation in Josephus' historical works in relation to Josephus' conceptual and philosophical perspective on human and divine causation in history. Building on the question of causation, section two takes a look at Josephus' approach to narrating history, including the manner in which he characterizes historical personages, creates speeches for the major historical players, and presents the chronology of events and the geography of his Greco-Roman setting.
Both sections one and two include comparisons of Josephus' work with previous and contemporary historians of the Greco-Roman world. Finally, section three attempts to summarize and synthesize, where Varneda proposes that Josephus writes "pragmatic history," which he defines as an account that prioritizes historical events of political value over all others.
