JOSEPHUS. Flavius Josephus, c. A.D. 37-c.100, belonged to a priestly, aristocratic family of the Hasmonean dynasty in Israel. As commander of the Jewish forces during the war with Rome in A.D. 66, he surrendered after Vespasian's forces surrounded his men. He saved his life by prophesying that Vespasian would become emperor. When this actually happened, Vespasian gave Josephus many honors, including Roman citizenship. He took the name Flavius, the family name of the Roman clan to which Vespasian belonged, as a gesture of gratitude to the imperial household for its kindness to him. The Jews of his day hated him because they regarded him as a traitor to their cause. His main works are De bellum Judaicum (The Jewish War) in seven books and Antiquitates Judaica (Jewish Antiquities) in twenty books, published c. A.D. 93/94 and written in Greek.

Josephus stands on a pillar of lead and iron and is of "secte Saturnyn," HF III.1429-1436. Lead is Saturn's metal, and iron is the metal of Mars, HF III.1445-1450. A.D. Miller explains that as Saturn is father of the planets, so the sect of the Jews is the father of all sects. Josephus bears up the fame of Jewry and stands with other historians, HF III.1437-1440. His pillar of lead and iron combines the influences of Saturn and Mars. [Mars: Saturne]

Josephus occurs medially, HF III.1433.