The Life of Flavius Josephus Author:Flavius Josephus Titus Flavius Josephus was a first-century Romano-Jewish scholar, historian and hagiographer, who was born in Jerusalem?then part of Roman Judea?to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry. He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish?Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrenderin... more »g in 67 CE to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claimed the Jewish Messianic prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome.« less