the s. mark taper foundation imprint in jewish studies by this endowment the s. mark taper foundation supports the appreciation and understanding of the richness and diversity of jewish life and culture Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous contribution to this book provided by the Jewish Studies Endowment Fund of the University of California Press Foundation, which is supported by a major gift from the S. Mark Taper Foundation. Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California Jewish Perspectives on Hellenistic Rulers Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California HELLENISTIC CULTURE AND SOCIETY General Editors: Anthony W. Bulloch, Erich S. Gruen, A. A. Long, and Andrew F. Stewart I. Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age, by Peter Green II. Hellenism in the East: The Interaction of Greek and Non-Greek Civilizations from Syria to Central Asia after Alexander, edited by Amélie Kuhrt and Susan Sherwin-White III. The Question of “Eclecticism”: Studies in Later Greek Philosophy, edited by J. M. Dillon and A. A. Long IV. Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, by Richard A. Billows V. A History of Macedonia, by R. Malcolm Errington, translated by Catherine Errington VI. Attic Letter-Cutters of 229 to 86 b.c., by Stephen V. Tracy VII. The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World, by Luciano Canfora VIII. Hellenistic Philosophy of Mind, by Julia E. Annas IX. Hellenistic History and Culture, edited by Peter Green X. The Best of the Argonauts: The Redefinition of the Epic Hero in Book One of Apollonius’ Argonautica, by James J. Clauss XI. Faces of Power: Alexander’s Image and Hellenistic Politics, by Andrew Stewart XII. Images and Ideologies: Self-definition in the Hellenistic World, edited by Anthony W. Bulloch, Erich S. Gruen, A. A. Long, and Andrew Stewart XIII. From Samarkhand to Sardis: A New Approach to the Seleucid Empire, by Susan Sherwin-White and Amélie Kuhrt XIV. Regionalism and Change in the Economy of Independent Delos, 314–167 b.c., by Gary Reger XV. Hegemony to Empire: The Development of the Roman Imperium in the East from 148 to 62 b.c., by Robert Kallet-Marx XVI. Moral Vision in The Histories of Polybius, by Arthur M. Eckstein XVII. The Hellenistic Settlements in Europe, the Islands, and Asia Minor, by Getzel M. Cohen XVIII. Interstate Arbitrations in the Greek World, 337–90 b.c., by Sheila L. Ager XIX. Theocritus’s Urban Mimes: Mobility, Gender, and Patronage, by Joan B. Burton XX. Athenian Democracy in Transition: Attic Letter-Cutters of 340 to 290 b.c., by Stephen V. Tracy Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California XXI. Pseudo-Hecataeus, “On the Jews”: Legitimizing the Jewish Diaspora, by Bezalel Bar-Kochva XXII. Asylia: Territorial Inviolability in the Hellenistic World, by Kent J. Rigsby XXIII. The Cynics: The Cynic Movement in Antiquity and Its Legacy, edited by R. Bracht Branham and Marie-Odile Goulet-Cazé XXIV. The Politics of Plunder: Aitolians and Their Koinon in the Early Hellenistic Era, 279–217 b.c., by Joseph B. Scholten XXV. The Argonautika, by Apollonios Rhodios, translated, with introduction, commentary, and glossary, by Peter Green XXVI. Hellenistic Constructs: Essays in Culture, History, and Historiography, edited by Paul Cartledge, Peter Garnsey, and Erich S. Gruen XXVII. Josephus’s Interpretation of the Bible, by Louis H. Feldman XXVIII. Poetic Garlands: Hellenistic Epigrams in Context, by Kathryn J. Gutzwiller XXIX. Religion in Hellenistic Athens, by Jon D. Mikalson XXX. Heritage and Hellenism: The Reinvention of Jewish Tradition, by Erich S. Gruen XXXI. The Beginnings of Jewishness: Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties, by Shaye D. Cohen XXXII. Thundering Zeus: The Making of Hellenistic Bactria, by Frank L. Holt XXXIII. Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora: From Alexander to Trajan (323 b.c.e.–117 c.e.), by John M. G. Barclay XXXIV. From Pergamon to Sperlonga: Sculpture and Context, edited by Nancy T. de Grummond and Brunilde S. Ridgway XXXV. Polyeideia: The Iambi of Callimachus and the Archaic Iambic Tradition, by Benjamin Acosta-Hughes XXXVI. Stoic Studies, by A. A. Long XXXVII. Seeing Double: Intercultural Poetics in Ptolemaic Alexandria, by Susan A. Stephens XXXVIII. Athens and Macedon: Attic Letter-Cutters of 300 to 229 b.c., by Stephen V. Tracy XXXIX. Encomium of Ptolemy Philadelphus, by Theocritus, translated with an introduction and commentary by Richard Hunter XL. The Making of Fornication: Eros, Ethics, and Political Reform in Greek Philosophy and Early Christianity, by Kathy L. Gaca XLI. Cultural Politics in Polybius’s Histories, by Craige B. Champion XLII. Cleomedes’ Lectures on Astronomy: A Translation of The Heavens, with an introduction and commentary by Alan C. Bowen and Robert B. Todd XLIII. Historical Fictions and Hellenistic Jewish Identity: Third Maccabees in Its Cultural Context, by Sara Raup Johnson Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California XLIV. Alexander the Great and the Mystery of the Elephant Medallions, by Frank L. Holt XLV. The Horse and Jockey from Artemision: A Bronze Equestrian Monument of the Hellenistic Period, by Seán Hemingway XLVI. The Hellenistic Settlements in Syria, the Red Sea Basin, and North Africa, by Getzel M. Cohen. XLVII. Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan, by Frank L. Holt XLVIII. Mediterranean Anarchy, Interstate War, and the Rise of Rome, by Arthur M. Eckstein XLIX. Hellenistic Egypt: Monarchy, Society, Economy, Culture, by Jean Bingen. Edited and introduced by Roger S. Bagnall L. Jewish Perspectives on Hellenistic Rulers, edited by Tessa Rajak, Sarah Pearce, James Aitken, and Jennifer Dines Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California Jewish Perspectives on Hellenistic Rulers EDITED BY Tessa Rajak, Sarah Pearce, James Aitken, and Jennifer Dines UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles London Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jewish perspectives on Hellenistic rulers / edited by Tessa Rajak, Sarah Pearce, James Aitken, Jennifer Dines. p. cm. — (Hellenistic culture and society ; L) “All papers in this book were presented at the Greek Bible Project’s colloquium” — Preface. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-520-25084-0 (cloth, alk. paper) 1. Judaism—History—Post-exilic period, 586 b.c.–210 a.d.— Congresses. 2. Jews—History—168 b.c.–135 a.d.—Congresses. 3. Jews—Civilization—Greek influences—Congresses. 4. Kings and rulers, Ancient—Congresses. 5. Mediterranean Region— Kings and rulers—Congresses. 6. Hellenism—Congresses. 7. Bible. O.T. Greek—Versions—Septuagint—Congresses. 8. Kings and rulers—Biblical teachings—Congresses. I. Rajak, Tessa, 1946–. bm176.j424 2007 296.09'01—dc22 2007046132 Manufactured in the United States of America 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 10987654321 This book is printed on Natures Book, which contains 50% post-consumer waste and meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48-1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper). Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California contents preface / ix abbreviations / xi Introduction / 1 Tessa Rajak part one: theories and practices of hellenistic rulers / 1. Philosophy and Monarchy in the Hellenistic World 13 Oswyn Murray 2. The Character of Ptolemaic Aristocracy: Problems of Definition and Evidence / 29 Jane Rowlandson part two: rulers in greek-jewish texts 3. Persia through the Jewish Looking-Glass / 53 Erich Gruen 4. Ben Sira on Kings and Kingship / 76 Benjamin Wright 5. The Image of the Oriental Monarch in the Third Book of Maccabees / 92 Philip Alexander and Loveday Alexander 6. The Angry Tyrant / 110 Tessa Rajak 7. The Narrative Function of the King and the Library in the Letter of Aristeas / 128 Sylvie Honigman Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California 8. Kingship and Banditry: The Parthian Empire and Its Western / Subjects 147 Richard Fowler part three: light from the septuagint translators? 9. Translating for Ptolemy: Patriotism and Politics in the Greek / Pentateuch? 165 Sarah Pearce 10. Poet and Critic: Royal Ideology and the Greek Translator of Proverbs / 190 James Aitken 11. The King’s Good Servant? Loyalty, Subversion, and Greek / Daniel 205 Jennifer Dines 12. The Terminology of Government in the Septuagint—in Comparison with Hebrew, Aramaic, and Other Languages / 225 Lester Grabbe 13. The Court Function of the Interpreter in Genesis 42.23 and Early Greek Papyri / 238 Trevor Evans part four: ideologies of jewish rule 14. The Greek Bible and Jewish Concepts of Royal Priesthood and Priestly Monarchy / 255 Arie van der Kooij 15. Royal Ideology: 1 and 2 Maccabees and Egypt / 265 Jan Willem van Henten 16. Constructing Kings—from the Ptolemies to the Herodians: The Archaeological Evidence / 283 Douglas Edwards cumulative bibliography / 295 list of contributors / 325 indexes general / 327 ancient sources / 337 modern authors / 357 Copyright © 2007 by The Regents of the University of California preface The genesis of this book explains its content, and it is therefore worth say- ing something about it here. The volume’s editors are members of a research project entitled “The Greek Bible in the Graeco-Roman World” (funded for five years from 2001 by the British Arts and Humanities Research Board, as it was then called).