Trinity Hall : Josephus Historia

Josephus, Flavius -c0038-c0100

Trinity Hall

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This manuscript dated by Kaufman to around 1140, is a Latin translation of Josephus’ <i>Antiquitates Judaicae (The Antiquities of the Jews)</i>. This work was completed in around AD 93 and originally written in Greek. It is an account of Jewish history from the creation to just before the outbreak of the revolt against Rome of AD 66-70.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> Flavius Josephus (AD 37/38-AD 100) was a first-century Jewish historian. He was born in Jerusalem and then moved to Rome where he became the official historian of the imperial family. His works are an important source of the political history of Palestine under Roman rule. Christian scholars embraced him for providing impartial evidence of the existence of Jesus in his <i>Antiquities</i>, although its authenticity is much disputed.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The inscription at the front says that this manuscript belonged to Brother William of Monkland in Herefordshire, which was a small cell of the Benedictine Abbey of Conches in Normandy, France. He was confessor to his relative, Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Hereford (1309-1361). </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The decoration (including the decorative use of small circles) is typical of Herefordshire production in the second quarter of the 12th century, so it may well have been made in Monkland, Herefordshire.</p>