Josephus Flavius (37A.D - Unknown) is recognised internationally for his recount of the amazing story of the events on Masada. Although Josephus gave a detailed profile in the, 'Bellum Judaicum', 'The Jewish War,' of the battle of Masada due to, 'life-experiences' archaeologists and historians must be aware of certain bias's.
             Josephus was not the most courageous of people. He was brought up in an orthodox Jewish home on Jerusalem, being educated in a rabbinic school from a young age, he claims that, "by the age of about fourteen he had become such an authority on the intricacies of the Jewish Law that even senior priests and laymen prominent in the administration of the city came to him for the elucidation of knotty points..." (BJ, Introduction, pge 10) which may have certain bias's in itself.
             At an age of 26 Josephus decided on going to Rome on a diplomatic mission, to free some fellow priests which had been captured by Emperor Nero due to an unspecified, 'trivial' charge.
             En-route Josephus was astounded & dumbstruck by the grandeur of rome & the organisation of the empire. He was also successful on getting the priests free with the help from Nero's wife Poppoea.
             The experiences which he has in Rome, left an everlasting scar of the power, might and glory of the Roman empire in Josephus's mind.
             When he returned to Jerusalem, Jerusalem & Rome had erupted into a war with each other as the Jewish people protested their Roman Rule. Josephus immediately begun to convince the Jewish Jury to withdraw from the war as a defiance against the established, powerful Roman Empire would clearly destroy the Jews. This did not make him popular with the extremist Jews and after several attempts to assassinate him, he went into refuge until the extremist leader was murdered and the moderates took over.
             As a result Josephus was appointed commander of the most northerl
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