Dead Sea Discoveries 18 (2011) 339–359 brill.nl/dsd

Yannai and Pella, Josephus and Circumcision*

Daniel R. Schwartz The Hebrew University of Jerusalem [email protected]

Abstract Josephus’ notice that Alexander Yannai destroyed Pella because its inhabitants refused to Judaize (Ant. 13.397), which does not sit well in its context and also contradicts Josephus’ reports elsewhere, seems to be based upon a Greek source. Given the fact that Greek writers about conversion to Judaism usually focused upon circumcision, failure to mention it here may indicate that Yannai did not demand it—a possibility that directs attention to the fact that texts show little interest in circumcision, apparently because they adhered to a priestly view according to which Gentiles cannot become Jews. , such as Yannai, probably held the same view.

Keywords Pella; circumcision; conversion; Alexander Yannai; Josephus; Sadducees; Qumran; priestly Judaism; Hasmoneans

Four of the nine chapters of ’s The and the Hasmonean State1 are devoted to the reign of King Alexander Yannai (103–76 B.C.E.), applying the Scrolls to the illumination of a period for

* This study is dedicated to the memory of Hanan Eshel—a student, a col- league, a friend, and a Mensch, who was as well at home in history as he was in archaeology, and who well understood what each discipline has to offer the other. May the memory of Hanan remain a blessing, and an inspiration. I am grateful to the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and to the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associate Lit- erature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for their invitations to present versions of this paper to seminars of scholars in November and December 2010. 1 Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2008.

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011 DOI: 10.1163/156851711X602421 340 D. R. Schwartz / Dead Sea Discoveries 18 (2011) 339–359 which, otherwise, Josephus’ War and Antiquities are our main sources. In the present study, I would like to pursue that project by addressing a some- what mystifying passage in Josephus’ account of Yannai in the Antiquities. As I will explain, my attempt to make sense of it, or, rather, to explain how it came to be so mystifying, led me to notice that a prominent element of Judaism, circumcision, is surprisingly ignored by the Scrolls. That, eventu- ally, turned into a hopefully interesting example of the way Josephan source-criticism and Qumran evidence can join forces to clarify, at least to some extent, both a historical episode and its more general implications.

1. A Problematic Notice about Pella

Josephus’ account in the Antiquities of Yannai’s reign, which opens at Ant. 13.320 with Yannai’s succession to the Hasmonean throne and ends at 13.398 with his death, naturally focuses on his military campaigns. In §§395–397, just before reporting Yannai’s death, Josephus surveys the extent of his conquests: Now at this time the Jews held the following cities of Syria, Idumea and Phoenicia: on the sea coast : Straton’s Tower, Apollonia, Joppa, Jamneia, Azotus, Gaza, Anthedon, Raphia and Rhinocorura; in the interior : in Idumea—Adora and Marisa, and the whole of Idumea; and Samaria and Mount Carmel and Mount Tabor and Scythopolis and Gadara; in Gaulanitis: Seleucia and Gamala; and in Moab: Essebon, Medaba, Lemba, Oronaim, Agalain, Thona, Zoara, the Valley of the Cilicians, Pella—this last they demol- ished because the inhabitants did not promise to adopt the ances- tral customs of the Jews; and others of the principal cities of Syria that had been subdued.2

2 The translation is based on Ralph Marcus’ in the Loeb Classical Library— which I organized graphically, and with italics and some changes of punctuation, so as to reflect its basic organization. I also made some corrections to make it conform better to the Greek.