first of the sons of Asamoneus, who was high priest, and was the
brother of Simon the high priest also. This Matthias had a son
called Matthias Curtus, and that in the first year of the
government of Hyrcanus: his son's name was Joseph, born in the
ninth year of the reign of Alexandra: his son Matthias was born
in the tenth year of the reign of Archclaus; as was I born to
Matthias in the first year of the reign of Caius Caesar. I have
three sons: Hyrcanus, the eldest, was born in the fourth year of
the reign of Vespasian, as was Justus born in the seventh, and
Agrippa in the ninth. Thus have I set down the genealog of my
family as I have found it described (2) in the public records,
and so bid adieu to those who calumniate me [as of a lower
original].

2. Now, my father Matthias was not only eminent on account of is
nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his
righteousness, and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the
greatest city we have. I was myself brought up with my brother,
whose name was Matthias, for he was my own brother, by both
father and mother; and I made mighty proficiency in the
improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both a great
memory and understanding. Moreover, when I was a child, and about
fourteen years of age, I was commended by all for the love I had
to learning; on which account the high priests and principal men
of the city came then frequently to me together, in order to know
my opinion about the accurate understanding of points of the law.
And when I was about sixteen years old, I had a mind to make trim
of the several sects that were among us. These sects are three: -
The first is that of the Pharisees, the second that Sadducees,
and the third that of the Essens, as we have frequently told you;