Note 298 — Chapter XVII · THE JEWS OF THE EMPIRE TILL THE REVOLT

It is necessary at every point to note the uncertain character of our evidence. The Historiae Philippicae of Pompeius Trogus written under Augustus would have been of inestimable value for us, if we had them in full. But we possess them merely in the summary of Justin (third century?), which gives us all the substance, but little or none of the personality of the writer. And in this case the loss is the more serious because Trogus seems to have had a keener feeling for the dramatic character of events and a broader sympathy than many other ancient historians.