Josephus the Physician: A Mediæval Legend of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Abstract

The origin of this curious story is obscure.3 There is no doubt that the Josephus mentioned is the historian of the Jewish War. Of his healing arts and Titus's gout, however, there is no mention in ancient literature. On the other hand, the same story is to be found in the so-called Historia miscella of Landolfus Sagax (about iooo),4 where it is set out in greater detail. Landolf based his chronicle upon the Roman History of the Lombard Paulus Diaconus which he enlarged by various supplements.6 One of these additions reads :