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Josephus: Against Apion

Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson

Career in Rome

Writes _The Jewish War_, receives name "Flavius" from Vespasian's family, book placed in Imperial Library

Three failed marriages, three sons

Readership? Wide-scale interest in Jews and Judaism, despite repeated rebellions

Titus

The Rebellion Against Rome

Kulturkampf of Rome and Jerusalem

Outbreak of the Revolt

Internecine Strife

Josephus in the Galilee

Why did Josephus Survive?

Now, there lived about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared alive to them again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

Imperial approval

More important: reference to Jesus

Most likely a pious scribal interpolation: first appears in 4th century citation, not quoted in 3rd century texts

Josephus becomes hugely important source for Christians

Hebrew _Yosippon_ medieval paraphrase

Youthful Success

Mission to Rome

Contrasting Jerusalem and Rome in Jewish thought

Impression on young Josephus

Historical Context

Decline of Hasmonean dynasty

Roman domination

Sadducees

Pharisees

Essenes

Zealots

Four Major Jewish Sects

The Fall of Jotapata (Yodfat)

Apparently poor command, lacked popular support

Jotapata surrounded, Josephus survives suicide pact

Captured by Vespasian

Conclusions

Apion's ignoble, ironic end

Josephus' complex legacy

Retrospective on origins of antisemitism and the Jewish response

In Roman Captivity

Long captivity under Vespasian

Josephus prophesizes that Vespasian will become emperor (cf. Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai)

Vespasian leaves for Rome, assigns Josephus as advisor to son Titus

Remains in place through duration of the war, culminating in the destruction of the Temple

Cohen, prominent parents

Claims strong education

Apparently Pharisee, some scholarly debate

Major History of the Jews

Title reference to respect for age of Judaism

Best when copied from other sources (often)

Weak grasp of Rabbinic Judaism

Strongest in post-Hasmonean era

Family Background

Jewish Antiquities

Who Was Apion?

1st c. Hellenized Egyptian Grammarian

Work survives only in citations, e.g. Androcles and the Lion

Flavius Josephus, Against Apion

Value of Against Apion

Likely Josephus' last work

Character: reflective, literate, evidence of tristesse

Historical value: sense of attitudes toward Jews in ancient world

Scholarly debate on the origins of antisemitism

Who Was Josephus?

Titus Flavius Josephus

(Yosef ben Matityahu)

37 - c. 100 CE

Historian of the First Roman-Jewish War

Ambiguous Legacy

Antisemitic Ideologies: Four Periods

Apion's Charges

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose

or

Something new under the sun?

1. Ancient Xenophobia

2. Deceitful

2. Early Christian Anti-Judaism

The Arch of Titus

Distinctions between charges of Apion's era and the early Christian period

Based on sincere misunderstandings of authentic Judaic practice?

Xenophobia common to the human experience?

1. Impious

5. Seditious

Josephus' Defense

3. Medieval Jew-hatred

4. Misanthropic

3. Hypocritical

4. Modern Antisemitism

1. Antiquity of Judaism

2. Reason behind the Law

3. Populism of the Law

4. Dedication of common Jews to the Law

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