Author: Tacitus (Translated by ) About: Tacitus, in full Publius Cornelius Tacitus, or Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, (born AD 56—died c. 120), Roman orator and public official, probably the greatest historian and one of the greatest prose stylists who wrote in the Latin language. Among his works are the Germania, describing the Germanic tribes, the Historiae … Read more
Author: Geza Vermes About: Since its publication in 1962, esteemed biblical expert Géza Vermes’s translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls has established itself as the authoritative standard. The original manuscripts, discovered in the Judean Desert between 1947 and 1956, completely transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origin of Christianity. Now … Read more
Author: Philo of Alexandria Preface: Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenized Jew also called Judaeus Philo, is a figure that spans two cultures, the Greek and the Hebrew. When Hebrew mythical thought met Greek philosophical thought in the first century B.C.E. it was only natural that someone would try to develop speculative and philosophical justification for … Read more
Author: Josephus Preface: This renowned reference book has served scholars, pastors, students, and those interested in the background of the New Testament for years. The insight given into the Essene community, the destruction of Jerusalem and the interpretations and traditions of the Old Testament in first century Judaism is invaluable. The outlook of Josephus, a late … Read more
Author: Translated by Sir Lancelot C.L. Brenton Preface: The Septuagint (or “LXX” ) is the Greek version of the Old Testament. It is a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament and certain Apocryphal books, which was written in the late 3rd century BC by the order of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the king of Ptolemaic Egypt (283 … Read more