The manuscript is the second volume of a two-volume set containing
Flavius Josephus (b. 37, d. 100)'s Antiquitates Iudaicae (Jewish
Antiquities). The other volume has not survived, but would have
contained books 1-14 of Josephus’s work. This manuscript contains
the last books, 15-20, and includes Josephus' De bello Iudaico (The
Jewish War). Contents: ff. 1r-83r: Flavius Josephus, Antiquitates
Iudaicae , Books 15-20. Each book is preceded by capitula ,
beginning: 'Tempus annorum decem et octo. Sosius quidem et Herodes
qualiter Ierusolimam ceperint'. Book 15 (ff. 1r-15r), preceded by
capitula (f. 1r); Book 16 (ff. 15r-26v), preceded by capitula (ff.
15v-16r); Book 17 (ff. 26v-44r), preceded by capitula (ff.
26v-26r); Book 18 (ff. 45r-61v) preceded by capitula (ff.
44r-45rr); Book 19 (ff. 61v-74r), preceded by capitula (f. 61v);
Book 20 (ff. 75r-83v), preceded by capitula (ff. 74r-75r), ending:
'de Deo eiusque substantia et de legibus et cur secundum eas aliud
facere permittimur aliud prohibemur. Explicit liber vicesimus'. ff.
83v-211r: Flavius Josephus, De Bello Iudaico , in seven books,
preceded by a prologue (ff. 83v-85r), beginning 'Quoniam bellum
quod cum populo Romano gessere'; beginning of the text (f. 85r):
'Incipit Liber primus hystoriarum Iosephi de Bello Iudaico. Cum res
Iudeorum inter se dissederent'. Book 1 (ff. 85r-114r); Book 2 (ff.
114r-137v); Book 3 (ff. 137v-151v); Book 4 (ff. 151v-159v); Book 5
(ff. 160r-168r); Book 6 (ff. 168rv-183v); Book 7 (ff. 183v-205r')
ending imperfectly. [f. 205v is blank].Decoration: 16 large
initials in red, green and yellow with arabesque decoration, for
the different chapters ( capitula ), and for the prologue and the
different books (ff. 1r, 1v, 15v, 27v, 45r, 47v, 61v, 75r, 83v,
85r, 114r, 138r, 151v, 160r, 168r, 183v). Small initials in plain
red or green, sometimes with ornamental extensions into the
margins. The colour-note 'R' sometimes appears next to red
initials, and 'V' next to green ones.
