The History of the Jews in the Greco-Roman World: The Jews of Palestine from Alexander the Great to the Arab Conquest

by SchSfer,Peter

• ISBN13: 9780415305877
• ISBN10: 041530587X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In the encounter with Hellenism which confronted the Jews of Palestine in the form of Greek, Roman and finally Christian supremacy, a Judaism developed which had far outgrown its biblical origins and which was to influence the history of Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Jews in the Greco-Roman World examines the political history of the Jewish people in Palestine in terms of the interaction between political activity and social, economic and religious circumstances. Of particular concern is the investigation of social and economic conditions in the history of Palestinian Judaism. The Jews of antiquity are presented as both the subject and the object of history as they attempt to achieve their political and social goals in a variety of changing circumstances. The period chosen for this study is that represented by the global domination of Hellenism, from the conquest of Palestine by Alexander the Great in the second half of the fourth century BCE until theseizure of the land by the Arabs in the seventh century CE. Great care has been taken to make the reader aware of the relationship between the author's account and the original source. Likewise, reference has been made to the relevant sources as often as possible, so that the reader can look these up and check the information provided against the source material.

Author Biography

Peter Schafer is Professor of Religion and Ronald O. Perelman Professor of Jewish Studies at Princeton University, and University Professor of Jewish Studies and Director of the Institut fur Judaistik at Freie Universitat Berlin.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Preface to English Edition	xv
Preface to the Reprint of the English Paperback Edition	xvi
List of Abbreviations	xvii
Alexander the Great and the Diadochi	1	(12)
Alexander the Great	1	(1)
The Samaritan Schism	2	(3)
Alexander's Visit to Jerusalem	5	(2)
The Diadochi	7	(6)
Palestine Under Ptolemaic Rule (301--200 BCE)	13	(14)
Ptolemaic Government and Economy	13	(2)
Political History: The First Syrian Wars	15	(1)
Palestine Under the Ptolemies: Government, Economy, Social Relations	15	(3)
Political History: The Third Syrian War	18	(1)
The Rise of the Tobiad Family	18	(3)
Political History: The Fourth Syrian War	21	(1)
The Break-up of the Tobiad Family	22	(1)
The Fifth Syrian War	23	(4)
Palestine Under Seleucid Rule (200--135/63 BCE)	27	(38)
Seleucid Government and Economy	27	(1)
Palestine as a Seleucid Province	28	(4)
Oniads and Tobiads	32	(2)
The Heliodorus Affair	34	(1)
The ``Hellenistic Reform'' under Antiochus IV	35	(6)
The ``Religious Edicts''	41	(3)
The Maccabean Revolt	44	(21)
The Hasmonean Dynasty	65	(16)
Government and Economy of the Hasmonean State	65	(2)
John Hyrcanus I (135/34--104 BCE)	67	(2)
The Pharisees	69	(4)
Aristobulus I (104--103 BCE)	73	(1)
Alexander Jannaeus (103--76 BCE)	74	(2)
Salome Alexandra (76--67 BCE)	76	(1)
Aristobulus II (67--63 BCE)	76	(5)
Herod the Great (37--4 BCE)	81	(20)
Herod's Rise to Power	81	(6)
Government and Economy Under Herod	87	(4)
A Summary of the Events of Herod's Reign	91	(6)
Assessment	97	(4)
From Herod to the First Jewish War	101	(20)
The Settlement of the Succession	101	(1)
Philip (4 BCE to 33/34 CE)	102	(1)
Herod Antipas (4 BCE--39 CE)	103	(1)
Archelaus (4 BCE--6 CE)	104	(1)
Judaea under Roman Rule (6--41 CE)	105	(7)
Agrippa I (37--44 CE)	112	(1)
Agrippa II (50?--92/93 CE)	113	(1)
The Roman Procurators (44--66 CE)	114	(7)
The First Jewish War (66--74 CE)	121	(10)
The Beginnings	121	(2)
The War in Galilee (67 CE)	123	(1)
The Years 68 and 69 CE	124	(3)
The Conquest of Jerusalem (70 CE)	127	(1)
The End of the War	128	(3)
Between the Wars: From 74 to 132 CE	131	(14)
The Consequences of the War	131	(2)
The Rabbis	133	(2)
Johanan ben Zakkai	135	(2)
Jabneh	137	(4)
The Revolt Under Trajan (115--117 CE)	141	(4)
The Bar Kochba Revolt (132--135 CE)	145	(18)
The Causes of the Revolt	145	(3)
Bar Kochba	148	(6)
The Revolt	154	(4)
The Consequences	158	(5)
From the Bar Kochba Revolt to the Arab Conquest of Palestine	163	(36)
Usha and Beth Shearim	163	(7)
The Crisis of the Roman Empire in the Third Century	170	(6)
Judaism and Christianity	176	(14)
The Persian Conquest	190	(9)
Bibliography	199	(28)
Index	227	(6)
Chronological Table	233