Die zuverlässigen Schriften bei Josephus in Contra Apionem

Abstract. The Reliable Sources of Josephus in Contra Apionem. At the beginning of Contra Apionem, Josephus argues for the authenticity and reliability of himself and Jewish historiography. The Scriptures play an important role in this argumentation. In our study, we list the warranty criteria that the author names for the 22 historically authentic books. And we are looking for an answer to the question of whether, on the basis of these criteria, only these 22 books can be truly considered an authentic source of Jewish historiography. Josephus saw himself as a translator and interpreter of historical sources. His sources consist of various writings, including the 22 books. The authenticity and reliability of his interpretation is guaranteed by his ancestry, his knowledge of the Jewish “philosophical” schools, his prophetic abilities, and the constant correction of his work by others. It can be said with a high degree of probability that the 22 books appear as a justification in his argumentation: if the Jews were able to write, preserve, and pass on such documents, then the same accuracy and reliability could be presumed from later generations – up to and including Josephus. Keywords: Josephus, Contra Apionem, the Scriptures, historiography, the Diadochi, reliability