A conflict that erupted between Roman legions and some Judaeans in late AD 66 had an incalculable impact on Rome's physical appearance and imperial governance; on ancient Jews bereft of their mother-city and temple; and on early Christian fortunes. Historical scholarship and cinema alike tend to see the conflict as the culmination of long Jewish resistance to Roman oppression. In this volume, Steven Mason re-examines the war in all relevant contexts (such as the Parthian dimension, and Judaea's place in Roman Syria) and phases, from the Hasmoneans to the fall of Masada. Mason approaches each topic as a historical investigation, clarifying problems that need to be solved, understanding the available evidence, and considering scenarios that might explain the evidence. The simplest reconstructions make the conflict more humanly intelligible while casting doubt on received knowledge.

A conflict that erupted between Roman legions and some Judaeans in late AD 66 had an incalculable impact on Rome's physical appearance and imperial governance; on ancient Jews bereft of their mother-city and temple; and on early Christian fortunes. Historical scholarship and cinema alike tend to see the conflict as the culmination of long Jewish resistance to Roman oppression. In this volume, Steven Mason re-examines the war in all relevant contexts (such as the Parthian dimension, and Judaea's place in Roman Syria) and phases, from the Hasmoneans to the fall of Masada. Mason approaches each topic as a historical investigation, clarifying problems that need to be solved, understanding the available evidence, and considering scenarios that might explain the evidence. The simplest reconstructions make the conflict more humanly intelligible while casting doubt on received knowledge.

Steve Mason has announced details of the release of his new album, About The Light, which is out on Double Six on Friday 18th January 2019. About The Light is his fourth solo album following Boys Outside (2010), Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time (2013) and Meet The Humans (2016).

Track list
America is Your Boyfriend
Rocket
No Clue
About the Light
Fox on the Rooftop
Stars Around My Heart
Spanish Brigade
Don't Know Where
Walking Away from Love
The End

This is a collection of essays focusing on the threads in Josephus (a first century Jewish historian and apologist whose works provide valuable insight into the background of first century Judaism and early Christianity) that are of particular interest to people studying the background and development of Christianity.
"Some of our most basic analytical categories, such as 'religion, ' 'Judaism, ' and even 'gospel, ' do not map onto ancient conceptions or language." This insight, gained from long study in the biblical world, governs "Josephus, Judea, and Christian Origins." Steve Mason combines recently published essays with new studies to produce a coherent, sequential exploration of "methods and categories" important for the study of Roman Judea and Christian beginnings.
This book takes up basic but often overlooked questions of historical method in studying first-century Judea and the origins of Christianity. Many of these questions concern the use of Josephus (the first-century Jewish historian whose work is of crucial importance for this period) for reconstructing this history. Chapters deal with Josephus' authority, his method of publication and audiences, "Judaism," Pharisees, Essenes, "gospel," and much else.

Flavian Rome has most often been studied without serious attention to its most prolific extant author, Titus Flavius Josephus. Josephus, in turn, has usually been studied for what he is writing about (mainly, events in Judaea) rather than for the context in which he wrote: Flavian Rome. For the first time, this book brings these two phenomena into critical engagement, so that Josephus may illuminate Flavian Rome, and Flavian Rome, Josephus. Who were his likely audiences or patrons in Rome? How did the context in which he wrote affect his writing? What do his narratives say or imply about that context? This book brings together contributions from leading international scholars of Josephus and Flavian-Roman history and literature.