Language:
English
Year of publication:
2005
Titel der Quelle:
Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period
Angaben zur Quelle:
36,3 (2005) 278-315
Keywords:
Apion,
;
Josephus, Flavius.
;
Antisemitism History To 500
Abstract:
Analyzes Josephus' portrait of Apion and his refutation of Apion's case against the Jews, as well as other ancient references to Apion, and expresses doubts that the Alexandrian grammarian was indeed the preeminent antisemite of the ancient world. Apion's writings did not survive, thus the Apion of modern scholarship is known mainly from Josephus' description of his works and his thought. The anti-Jewish diatribes of Apion, mainly in his "Aegyptiaca", do not constitute a coherent anti-Jewish treatise which can be seen as evidence of his hatred for Jews; rather, they either pursue goals other than attacking the Jews or can be reinterpreted as actually being neutral or having minor significance. Contends that Josephus chose Apion, from all the contemporary authors who wrote against the Jews, as an ideal opponent. Apion was known as a man of bad character, who had made many false statements in his writings. He also had doubtful, maybe Egyptian, ethnic origins. Expresses doubts that the treatise "Kata Ioudaion", attributed to Apion, ever existed.
DOI:
10.1163/1570063054377660
URL:
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