The Work of Artapanos – A Thesis on the Syncretism of the Alexandrian Diaspora
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15633/sts.2908Keywords:
Artapanos, Ptolemaic Egypt, Alexandria, diaspora, Old Testament, syncretismAbstract
This text presents the findings of a contextual analysis of Artapanos’ writing On the Jews. The peculiarity of this Alexandrian writer lies in his vivid depiction of the image of the Diaspora, which is unprecedented elsewhere. Artapanos tries to convince his reader of the closeness of Jewish culture to both the Egyptian heritage and Hellenistic culture. His Moses, shaped in the fashion of a hero, is shown as the greatest benefactor of mankind and, as such, mainly as the hero of Egypt. Of the various possible interpretations of the phenomenon of Artapanos’ work, this study points to a plausible thesis of a syncretic orientation of some part of the Alexandrian Diaspora. This would include the Jews, who lived in the conviction of being faithful to their tradition, while at the same time absorbing Hellenistic culture and relating with kindness to the Egyptians.
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