Josephus and Bellies Full of Gold
Posted By asbandy on October 28, 2009
Possible Roman Bust of Josephus
Josephus is an interesting man because, on one hand, the history of the Jewish wars is written as a Roman apologetic to aver that God was on the side of Vespasian and Titus (especially in the way he paints them in the best possible light). On the other hand, Josephus writes as a Jewish historian with special concern for his people. Josephus makes it clear that he is disgusted with the Jewish rebels who brought misery upon the people, city, and land. Their misguided nationalism not only sparked this war with Rome, but the various factions of Jewish rebels also mistreat each other to bring further shame and degradation upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I came across an account of the deplorable conditions during the Roman seige of Jerusalem in which Josephus recounts the horrors that befell a group of Jewish refugees who escaped Jerusalem during a time of a severe famine.
The Jewish War 5:548-552
Hereupon some of the deserters, having no other way, leaped down from the wall immediately, while others of them went out of the city with stones, as if they would fight them; but thereupon, they fled away to the Romans. But here a worse fate accompanied these than what they had found within the city; and they met with a quicker despatch from the too great abundance they had among the Romans, than they could have done from the famine among the Jews; 549 for when they came first to the Romans, they were puffed up by the famine, and swelled like men in a dropsy; after which they all suddenly filled those bodies too much that were before empty, and so burst asunder, excepting such only as were skilful enough to restrain their appetites, and, by degrees, took in their food into bodies unaccustomed thereto. 550 Yet did another plague seize upon those who were thus preserved; for there was found among the Syrian deserters a certain person who was caught gathering pieces of gold out of the excrements of the Jews’ bellies; for the deserters used to swallow such pieces of gold, as we told you before, when they came out, and for these did the seditious search them all; for there was a great quantity of gold in the city, insomuch that as much was now sold [in the Roman camp] for twelve Attic [drams], as was sold before for twenty-five; 551 but when this contrivance was discovered in one instance, the fame of it filled their various camps, that the deserters came to them full of gold. So the multitude of the Arabians, with the Syrians, cut up those who came as supplicants, and searched their bellies. 552 Nor does it seem to me that any misery befell the Jews that was more terrible than this, since in one night’s time about two thousand of these deserters were thus dissected.
Titus
At the sight of this horror, Josephus remains true to form and demonstrates the outrage of Titus. Titus discovers that some of his own soldiers participated in cutting open the bellies of Jews to search for gold. Although Titus threatens them with death, Josephus remarks that their love for gain was greater than there fear of punishment so it did not deter them. Josephus concludes that ultimately God engineered all these events because he had determined to judge the nation by all means possible.
The Jewish War 5:553-559
When Titus came to the knowledge of this wicked practice, he would have liked to have surrounded those who had been guilty of it with his horsemen, and have shot them dead; and he would have done it, had not their number been so very great, and those who were liable to this punishment would have been many more than those whom they had slain. 554 However, he called together the commanders of the auxiliary troops he had with him, as well as the commanders of the Roman legions, (for some of his own soldiers had been also guilty herein, as he had been informed,) 555 and had great indignation against both sorts of them, and said to them:–“What! have any of my own soldiers done such things as this out of the uncertain hope of gain, without regarding their own weapons, which are made of silver and gold?
Titus then threatened that he would put such men to death, if any of them were discovered to be so insolent as to do so again: moreover, he charged his legions, that they should make a search after such as were suspected, and should bring them to him. 558 But it appeared that the love of money was too hard for all their dread of punishment, and a vehement desire of gain is natural to men, and no passion is so venturesome as covetousness; 559 otherwise such passions have certain bounds, and are subordinate to fear, but in reality it was God who condemned the whole nation, and turned every course that was taken for their preservation to their destruction.
Scene from the Arch of Titus
Is this an example of theodicy in Josephus?
He is clearly disgusted by the fact that two thousand Jewish refugees were gutted because they were rumored to have swallowed gold. The senseless slaughter of starving refugees because of greed is something that shocks anyone with even half a conscience. Notice also how Josephus records the response of Titus as one who is just and righteous in that he wanted to punish the offenders, but was not able to exact justice on the Arabs and Syrians because of their numbers and he could not prevent further atrocities because of the greed in the hearts of his men. Here we have a horrible slaughter of Jews couple with the lack of earthly justice. Josephus concludes that it is actually part and parcel of God’s judgment against the Jewish nation. In other words, Josephus reasons that this massacre may be justified , although cruel and seemingly unjust, because it falls under the rubric of God’s judgment.
What do you think?
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