A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Volume 2 The Coming of the Greeks: The Early Hellenistic Period (335-175 BCE)

This is the second volume of the projected four-volume history of the Second Temple period. It is axiomatic that there are large gaps in the history of the Persian period, but the early Greek period is possibly even less known. This volume brings together all we know about the Jews during the period from Alexander's conquest to the eve of the Maccabaean revolt, including the Jews in Egypt as well as the situation in Judah. Based directly on the primary sources, which are surveyed, the study addresses questions such as administration, society, religion, economy, jurisprudence, Hellenism and Jewish identity. These are discussed in the context of the wider Hellenistic world and its history. A strength of the study is its extensive up-to-date secondary bibliography (approximately one thousand items).

ContentsPrefacePart I: Introduction1.  Introduction: Principles and Method           1.1 Aims           1.2 The Basis for the Chronology of the Early Hellenistic Period           1.3 Diaspora           1.4 The Relevance of Postcolonial Theory           1.5 History Writing in the Ancient World                        1.5.1 The Question of Definitions                        1.5.2 Greek Historical Writings                        1.5.3 Did the Graeco-Roman Historians Aim for Historical Accuracy?                        1.5.4 Critical Historical Thinking among the Jews                        1.5.5 Conclusions           1.6 Writing a History of the Early Greek Period: Principles Assumed in this Book            1.7 Terminology and Other Technical MattersPart II: Sources 2.  Archaeolog           2.1 Individual Site                        2.1.1 Tel Dan                        2.1.2 Tel Anafa                        2.1.3 Ptolemais/Akko (Tell Fukhar)                        2.1.4 Shiqmona                        2.1.5 Philoteria (Beth Yera?, Khirbet el-Kerak)                        2.1.6 Beth-Shean/Scythopolis                        2.1.7 Tel Dor                        2.1.8 Tel Mevorakh                        2.1.9 Tel Dothan                        2.1.10 Samaria                        2.1.11 Shechem (Tell Balâtah)                        2.1.12 Apollonia (Arsuf; Tell Arshaf)                        2.1.13 Tel Michal (Makmish)                        2.1.14 Jaffa (Joppo)                        2.1.15 Gezer (Tell Jezer)                        2.1.16 Bethel                        2.1.17 Tell es-Sultan (Jericho)                        2.1.18 Jerusalem and Vicinity                  &nb