Harley MS 3691

This manuscript contains copies of the Jewish historian Josephus' (b. 37, d. 100) Antiquitates Judaicae (Antiquities of the Jews) and a work known as the Historia Josephi de Bello Iudaico et Excidio Urbis Hierosolymitanae (The History of Josephus on the Jewish wars and the Destruction of the City of Jerusalem), a 4th-century adaptation of Josephus' De bello Judaico (On the Jewish War), but attributed to the early Christian chronicler Hegesippus (b. c. 110, d. 180).

According to the manuscript's colophon (f. 222v), the first part of the book (ff. 1-222v) was written by the scribe Julianus de Virterbo for Guidone Gonzaga (d. 1483).

Contents:

ff. 1-222v: Josephus, Antiquitates Judaicae, beginning with a list of chapter titles;

ff. 223r-296v: Pseudo-Hegesippus, Historia Josephi de Bello Judaico et Excidio Urbis Hierosolymitanae.

Decoration:

3 large initials in colours on gold grounds with interlace motifs (ff. 1r, 223r (x 2)). 21 partial borders with very large initials in red or blue with red and blue pen-flourishing, some with gold (ff. 2r, 12v, 23v, 33v, 44r, 55v, 69v, 83v, 99r, 109r, 118v, 129r, 142r, 155v, 169r, 180v, 189r, 193r, 196v, 264r, 281r). 1 large initial in blue with red and gold pen-flourishing (f. 273v). Small initials in red with blue or purple penwork decoration or pen-flourishing, and in blue with red or gold penwork decoration or pen-flourishing. Smaller plain initials in red or blue. Rubrics in red. Capitals marked in yellow.