Israel and Greece: Reviving a Legendary Past

Abstract

This chapter shows how the interest in the origin of nations (origines gentium) — in the origins of culture, in its stages of progress, and in the ways in which cultural traits were transmitted and diffused — was shared by many ancient peoples, and the problem of how man acquired the arts became a focus of reflection. Greek (and Latin) authors examined the conditions which favoured the genesis and progress of culture and civilization, linguistic and cultural patterns, and the connection between habitat and habits, national character and institutions, and the variety and diversity of humanity. Ethnography was regarded as an access to history. Even though they never used the term ‘culture’ in the modern sense, there is no doubt that they had great interest in the phenomenon of culture and in cultural history. The chapter explores how such legendary traditions were treated in Greek and Jewish cultures.