The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume 2, The Hellenistic Age

The volume describes both the rejection and adoption of Hellenism by Judaism.

W. D. Davies (Edited by), Louis Finkelstein (Edited by)

9780521219297, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 March 1990

758 pages
23.1 x 15.7 x 4.6 cm, 1.342 kg

This is the second of four volumes covering the history of Judaism from the Persian period, roughly 539–322 BCE, to the Tannaitic period, which culminated in the codification of the Mishnah around 250 CE. It deals with the encounter of Judaism with the Hellenistic culture spread throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond by Alexander the Great and his successors. The volume describes both the rejection and adoption of Hellenism by Judaism. Religiously the rejection provoked new developments and politically the Maccabaean Revolt, which resulted in the creation of the independent Hasmonean state, 142–63 BCE. Culturally, the adoption of Hellenistic forms by Judaism led to a significant Jewish-Greek and Hebrew and Aramaic literature. At the same time, the tensions in the religious, intellectual, social and political life of Jews spawned apocalyptic thought and literature. In the light of the interpenetration of Judaism and Hellenism in this period the volume questions some established dichotomies.

Preface
List of abbreviations
map of the Hellenistic empire
1. The archeology of Hellenistic Palestine Marie-Christine Halpern-Zylberstein
2. The political and social history of Palestine from Alexander to Antiochus III (333–187 BCE) Martin Hengel
3. Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek in the Hellenistic age James Barr
4. The Diaspora in the Hellenistic age Harald Hegermann
5. The interpenetration of Judaism and Hellenism in the epre-Maccabean period Martin Hengel
6. The men of the Great Synagogue (circa 400–170 BCE) Louis Finkelstein
7. The Pharisaic leadership after the Great Synagogue (170 BCE–135 CE) Louis Finkelstein
8. Antiochus IV Orro Mørkholm
9. The Hasmonean revolt and the Hasmonean dynasty Jonathan A. Goldstein
10. Jewish literature in Hebrew and Aramaic in the Greek era Mathias Delcor
11. Jewish-Greek literature of the Greek period Nikolaus Walter
12. The apocrypha and pseudepigrapha of the Hellenistic period Mathias Delcor
13. The book of Daniel H. L. Ginsburg
14. The matrix of apocalyptic Paul D. Hanson
15. The Septuagint and its Hebrew text Harry M. Orlinsky
16. The Targumim Roger Le Déaut
17. The Samaritans James D. Purvis
18. The growth of anti-Judaism or the Greek attitude towards Jews Emilio Gabba
Bibliographies
Chronological table
Index.

Subject Areas: Judaism [HRJ]