I.e., Jew/Roman scribe Josephus decides it might be prouder for his (former?) people to go out in suicide, rather than describing the rapes and slaughters that actually occurred. Or that the Romans/history would rather think the Jews broke their own rule, and even the mighty Sicarii assassins were afraid to take on their men... and, as his is the only account...

i am aware that there is archeological evidence that lots were cast, my dad participated in the excavation with Yadin back in the day, and I have been there to see the sun rise more than once and hear the story of the suicide ad nauseam... but... couldn't those stones with names have been used for other purposes? Isn't the fact that Josephus tells a similar story about a siege at Jotapata suspicious, or was that the way mass suicides were/are done? I wrote a paper on it in college, I think they cast lots in the siege at Jotapata too... anyway, was curious for more opinions, thanks.