S8 Ep241: Professor Barry Strauss. Josephus commanded the defense of Jotapata against Vespasian in 67 AD. After the city fell, he survived a mass suicide pact in a cave through luck or manipulation. He saved his own life by prophesying Vespasian would become empero

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John Batchelor

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🗓️ 25 December 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

Professor Barry Strauss. Josephus commanded the defense of Jotapata against Vespasian in 67 AD. After the city fell, he survived a mass suicide pact in a cave through luck or manipulation. He saved his own life by prophesying Vespasianwould become emperor, defecting to the Roman side.

1492 JOSEPHUS FLAVIUS

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0:00.0	At Pluralsight, we don't just teach skills.
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0:20.2	This is CBS Eye on the World.
0:23.5	Here's John Batchelor.
0:26.9	This is CBS, I on the World.
0:29.4	I'm John Batchelor.
0:31.4	Rome, the conqueror of the known world
0:34.8	2,000 years ago.
0:37.2	Rome, institutions that we in America
0:39.6	live with and live upon,
0:42.2	Rome versus the Jews.
0:44.3	Or as Barry Strauss,
0:45.7	Professor Emeritus Cornell University,
0:49.3	has it Jews versus Rome.
0:51.3	I like reversing the order.
0:53.9	Two centuries of rebellion against the world's
0:57.0	mightiest empire. You bet. And we're going to go right into it. A man named Josephus commands the
1:03.7	defense of a city called Jodapada. This is in Galilee in the north of what is now Israel.
1:09.9	Professor, congratulations.
1:11.7	Wonderful.
	...

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