What was life like for Jews settled throughout the Mediterranean
world of Classical antiquity--and what place did Jewish communities
have in the diverse civilization dominated by Greeks and Romans? In
a probing account of the Jewish diaspora in the four centuries from
Alexander the Great's conquest of the Near East to the Roman
destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 C.E., Erich Gruen reaches
often surprising conclusions.
By the first century of our era, Jews living abroad far
outnumbered those living in Palestine and had done so for
generations. Substantial Jewish communities were found throughout
the Greek mainland and Aegean islands, Asia Minor, the
Tigris-Euphrates valley, Egypt, and Italy. Focusing especially on
Alexandria, Greek cities in Asia Minor, and Rome, Gruen explores
the lives of these Jews: the obstacles they encountered, the
institutions they established, and their strategies for adjustment.
He also delves into Jewish writing in this period, teasing out how
Jews in the diaspora saw themselves. There emerges a picture of a
Jewish minority that was at home in Greco-Roman cities: subject to
only sporadic harassment; its intellectuals immersed in Greco-Roman
culture while refashioning it for their own purposes; exhibiting
little sign of insecurity in an alien society; and demonstrating
both a respect for the Holy Land and a commitment to the local
community and Gentile government. Gruen's innovative analysis of
the historical and literary record alters our understanding of the
way this vibrant minority culture engaged with the dominant
Classical civilization.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
