SCULPTING IDOLATRY IN FLAVIAN ROME : (A N)I CONIC RHETORIC IN THE WRITINGS OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS by Jason Q. von Ehrenkrook A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Near Eastern Studies) in The University of Michigan 2009 Doctoral Committee: Professor Gabriele Boccaccini, Chair Professor Gary M. Beckman Professor Raymond H. Van Dam Associate Professor Brian B. Schmidt © Jason Q. von Ehrenkrook All Rights Reserved 2009 For my wife Becky and our children Brooke, Kaitlyn, Mikayla, and Tyler, with deepest affection ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Good scholarship does not emerge in a vacuum, and “original” ideas are never created ex nihilo. I am thus keenly aware of my debt, not only to the hundreds of scholars in print— including many not listed in the bibliography below—who have helped stimulate my thinking, but also to the numerous faculty members and fellow students at the University of Michigan whose collective efforts have enabled me to survive the rigors of graduate school and ultimately complete this dissertation. I wish especially to thank my dissertation chair, Prof. Gabriele Boccaccini, who has in these past few years modeled rigorous scholarship and gracious hospitality, stimulating his students’ minds both within and outside the classroom. It was in my inaugural semester of graduate school, during a seminar on Methodology in the Study of Second Temple Judaism, that Prof. Boccaccini first whet my appetite for this fascinating realm of scholarly research. A second Boccaccini seminar, one focused on the central protagonist of the present study (Flavius Josephus), was even more formative, opening my eyes to numerous possible lines of inquiry that have ultimately blossomed into this project. The breadth and depth of his own scholarly interests have been a particularly useful resource, and his critical reading of the ensuing pages has certainly helped to broaden my thinking and sharpen my arguments. Outside of the classroom and dissertation, Prof. Boccaccini has also made available numerous possibilities for professional advancement—e.g., introducing me to the vast and impressive network of iii scholars in the Enoch Seminar; offering several opportunities for editorial work and publication; etc.—for which I am extremely grateful. This dissertation includes a healthy dose of comparative material that falls outside of the more comfortable boundaries of my specialization, so I cannot image embarking on this project without the helpful perspectives of my remaining committee members. Prof. Raymond Van Dam first exposed me to the labyrinth of Roman history, and his attention to detail both in the present project and in various seminar papers has played a vital role in my intellectual development. Prof. Brian Schmidt’s knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the iconography of Israelite culture were particularly crucial for the present study, and his incisive questions and comments brought into clearer focus several important methodological issues. Prof. Gary Beckman graciously volunteered to join my committee at a very late date, and although his specialization in Hittite studies may seem a bit remote to my own research, I am especially grateful for his careful reading of this dissertation, and especially for rescuing me from several potentially embarrassing mistakes. Although a medical leave of absence prevented his participation on the committee, Prof. Yaron Eliav deserves special thanks for his role in shaping the present study. Prof. Eliav first introduced me to the possibility of exploring material culture (statues) in literary texts, offering me for two consecutive summers a position as research assistant for the Interdisciplinary Statuary Project. My responsibility in this project was to begin collecting data for a sourcebook on statues in Greek literature, a task that happily exposed me to a broad range of comparative material relevant for the present study. Prof. Eliav also helped to guide me through the various phases of research, reading carefully iv and commenting thoroughly on preliminary drafts of each chapter. Without question, the success of this project is deeply indebted to his critical eye. An important disclaimer is perhaps in order. As Charles Darwin remarked in The Expressions and Emotions in Man and Animals , “it is always advisable to perceive clearly our ignorance” (p. 39). I would like to modify this expression slightly, noting that it is also always advisable to take full responsibility for our ignorance. It is thus in the spirit of Darwin that I exonerate those keen minds that have contributed to all that is positive in this dissertation by taking full responsibility for any mistakes, dubious argumentation or other shortcomings that may still remain in the ensuing pages. Many organizations at the University of Michigan were a source of financial and administrative assistance. The Program for the Study of Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity (JCA), formerly Judaism and Christianity in the Graeco-Roman World, has offered a deep well of intellectual opportunities and resources for which I am especially grateful. The Department of Near Eastern Studies has been particularly generous in its fellowships and teaching posts, as well as those few sudden occasions when I found myself in a deep financial pinch. Several other institutions have also been quite generous with research funding, allowing me to pursue my studies both here in the states and abroad, especially the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, the Rackham Graduate School, the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, and the Michigan Center for Early Christian Studies. I wish also to thank my fellow students in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, and especially my colleagues in JCA. Harold (Hal) Ellens was the first friendly face to greet me in Ann Arbor, and shortly thereafter both James Waddell and Ron Ruark v welcomed me into the program. Our little grad group soon began to expand, and it has been my privilege to develop friendships with several other students both in and outside the classroom, including Justin Winger, Anne Kreps, Stephanie Bolz, Isaac Oliver, and Jacob Feeley. Our many delightful conversations—usually stimulating, but occasionally juvenile—in the hallways of the Frieze Building (RIP) and the Thayer Academic Building, as well as our occasional journeys to various locations around the Mediterranean, were often a source of encouragement and happiness in the midst of anxiety and stress. Also deserving mention is the weekly brown-bagging HA cohort—the aforementioned Justin and Isaac, along with Craig Tyson—whose company helped keep me sane in these last few years. I would not be celebrating the completion of a Ph.D. without a tremendously supportive family. My parents, James and Joyce von Ehrenkrook, brought me into a stable, nurturing home, and although money was never in abundance, they modeled the virtues of hard work and selfless love. While I suspect that my siblings—Cherie, Todd and Julie—could care less about my seemingly arcane interests, they nevertheless have encouraged and supported me along the way. My brother-in-law Doug Finkbeiner was a constant source of inspiration and intellectual stimulation, especially after we both began working simultaneously on Josephan dissertations (his conducted at the University of Pennsylvania). It is a happy coincidence to have a family member with similar research interests, especially during those rare moments when we could steal away from the chaos of a family gathering, find a quiet space (not an easy task with the 20+ children running around!) and engage in a stimulating conversation about Josephus. vi Finally, my wife and children—to whom this dissertation is dedicated—deserve special recognition. As a graduate student and parent of four, I was a distinct minority in the university culture, signaled especially by the raised eyebrows and shocked expressions of those who happened to hear of my large brood. And yet, notwithstanding the additional responsibilities this entails—diapers, nightly bedtime rituals, afterschool homework, etc.—I cannot imagine surviving graduate school without them. They have brought a much needed sense of perspective, a constant reminder that what I think about Josephus matters very little in the grand scheme of things, and their laughter and affection have been a continuous source of joy and satisfaction. My wife Becky in particular has been enormously supportive and encouraging throughout this process, and it is deeply satisfying to now complete this journey, and embark on a new one, alongside my partner, lover and best friend. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................iii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ x LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................xii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ xvi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION : READING IDOLATRY (IN )TO JOSEPHUS .......................... 1 Josephus Past and