Modern historians generally view Josephus as a valuable but imperfect historical source. Here's how they evaluate his reliability compared to other ancient historians:
Strengths:
1. Unique perspective: As a Jewish historian writing for a Roman audience, Josephus provides rare insights into first-century Judaism and early Christianity.
2. Eyewitness accounts: For events like the Jewish War, Josephus offers firsthand observations.
3. Preservation of sources: He incorporates information from now-lost sources, especially for the Second Temple period.
Limitations:
1. Bias: Like many ancient historians, Josephus had clear political and personal motives that colored his writing.
2. Inconsistencies: There are contradictions between his works and sometimes within the same work.
3. Exaggeration: He tends to embellish facts, particularly when describing himself.
4. Methodology: His historical methods are less rigorous by modern standards.
Compared to other ancient historians:
1. Josephus is generally considered more reliable than some, like Geoffrey of Monmouth, who created more fictional accounts.
2. He's viewed as comparable to other Hellenistic historians in terms of methodology and biases.
3. Archaeologists have often found Josephus's descriptions of places and structures to be fairly accurate.
Overall, historians approach Josephus critically, recognizing his value while being aware of his limitations. They use his works in conjunction with other sources and archaeological evidence to reconstruct ancient history.
Sources
[1] Is Josephus a reliable historian? : r/AskHistory - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistory/comments/10hwtz2/is_josephus_a_reliable_historian/
[2] How Reliable Is Josephus? - The BAS Library https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/sidebar/how-reliable-is-josephus/
[3] [PDF] Life and Reliability of Josephus: An Introduction https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/448697
[4] Josephus the Ancient Historian Gets a Little Touchy https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/josephus-the-ancient-historian-gets-a-little-touchy
[5] The Reliability of Josephus: Can He Be Trusted? - jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/43044141