Josephus was one of the most important historians of antiquity, and also one of the best known. Living during the 1st century A.D., the Roman-Jewish historian wrote at length about Jewish history in Roman occupied Jerusalem, and the plight of Jews in the Holy Land. He documented the destructive First Jewish-Roman War, which destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and he was one of the first historians to discuss Christians. His best known works include The Jewish War (circa 75 AD) and Antiquities of the Jews (circa 94 AD).
Antiquities of the Jews was written from the perspective of Jews and intended for Roman audiences. In this massive work, Josephus discusses the history of the region and Jews, starting with the Old Testament up to the Jewish War.