The Historical Chronology Of The Hasmonean Period In The War And Antiquities Of Flavius Josephus: Separating Fact From Fiction

Abstract

The writings of Flavius Josephus are among the most important texts for students of the Hasmonean period. This chapter focuses on how Josephus has creatively shaped his depictions of the Hasmonean rulers from John Hyrcanus I to Aristobulus II. It highlights some neglected texts and archaeological evidence that explain how Josephus has crafted his accounts of the Hasmonean period. For each Hasmonean ruler, the chapter begins with a section simply titled fiction, which merely summarizes Josephus accounts. The Hasmonean rulers covered her include: John Hyrcanus, Judah Aristobulus, Alexander Jannaeus and Salome Alexandra. The chapter offers a few observations regarding the importance of Josephus social location in Rome for understanding why he chose to revise his portrayals of the Hasmonean rulers to produce books that are, to a great extent, works of historical fiction. Keywords: Alexander Jannaeus; Flavius Josephus; Hasmonean period; John Hyrcanus; Judah Aristobulus; Salome Alexandra