Flavius Josephus; Ludovicus Cendrata, ed.; Rufinus Aquilensis, trans. DE BELLO JUDAICO and DE ANTIQUITATE JUDAEORUM. Verona: Petrus Maufer, 25 December 1480. Latin translation from the original Greek. Half bound over marbled paper boards, raised bands on spine, blue speckle-stained edges. Chancery folio; [*2] (lacks first two leaves, dedicatory letter) a10 (lacks a10) b8 c6 d-k8 kk8 l-x8 (lacks x5-x8) y6 A-C8 (lacks gathering A) D6; Roman type; text in Latin, 199 of 214 leaves. Goff J-484; USTC 993940; ISTC ij00484000.

11 3/4 x 8 1/4 in.

From the Collection of Professor Roberto Severino, Washington, D.C.

Flavius Josephus (37-100 CE) was born and raised in Jerusalem. He wrote The Jewish War in ca. 75 CE, providing important information about the Jewish rebellion against the occupation of the Roman Empire. This work reflects Josephus's own experiences as a general in the war. After surrendering and becoming a prisoner of the Roman army, Josephus was eventually freed by Vespasian and granted Roman citizenship. He wrote both The Jewish War and his other major work while he was in Rome during the rule of the Flavian dynasty. His works provide important information about Jewish history and early Christianity, and their popularity led to their translation into several languages. This is the fourth edition of the book, but the first Italian edition.

Although he worked in several Italian cities, this is publisher Petrus Maufer's only book printed in Verona.

Wear to boards with paper scuffed and corners rubbed, spine with small wormholes and remains of a small sticker; cracking at hinges yet binding sturdy; first free endpaper loose and with restoration, and several additional pages with minor separation at tail, lacking final free endpaper; a8 with small repair at inner margin; occasional light damp staining, offsetting, toning, and finger soiling, scattered small stains and foxing, (1) page with large repair, several pages with tears not impacting text, marginalia throughout (often trimmed), occasional small creases or folds, wormholes mostly at hinges and rear paste-down endpaper; a wide margin copy but with some manuscript trimmed. An overall crisp and clean example of this important incunable.