Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora: From Alexander to Trajan (323 BCE-117 CE) (Hellenistic Culture and Society) [Paperback]

John M. G. Barclay (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hellenistic Culture and Society | Publication Date: February 15, 1999

Most studies of Jews in the period from Alexander to Trajan have concentrated almost exclusively on Jerusalem and Judea. In this book, John Barclay assembles and analyzes evidence about the Jewish communities in Egypt, Syria, Cyrenaica, Rome, and Asia. Barclay's ambitious goal is to describe, as precisely as the evidence allows, the varying levels of assimilation and antagonism between Jews and the non-Jewish communities in these areas for this 440-year period. With a concluding review of Jewish identity in the Diaspora as a whole, this book provides our first comprehensive and multi-faceted survey of Diaspora communities and Diaspora literature.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Barclay's study corrects the traditional oversight that would equate early Judaism with Palestinian Judaism. This highly readable introduction . . . brings together material that is otherwise available only in regional studies or highly technical works. Barclay strikes a rare balance between local conditions and broad issues, and between supporting detail and coherent argument. It is hard to imagine how the chronic need for a synthesis of the Mediterranean Diaspora might have been better satisfied."--Steve Mason, Pennsylvania State University

"The book reflects the best of contemporary scholarship and is likely to become an indispensable source of information and reflection on the problems Jews encountered with living in a frequently hostile environment."--A. P. Hayman, Edinburgh University

"This is a superb book which has lifted our discussion of Jews in the Diaspora to a new plane. Since understanding the Diaspora is vital to comprehending a good deal about early Christianity, Barclay has also made a significant contribution to this latter field of investigation."--Paul Trebilco, University of Otago

From the Back Cover

"Barclay's study corrects the traditional oversight that would equate early Judaism with Palestinian Judaism. This highly readable introduction . . . brings together material that is otherwise available only in regional studies or highly technical works. Barclay strikes a rare balance between local conditions and broad issues, and between supporting detail and coherent argument. It is hard to imagine how the chronic need for a synthesis of the Mediterranean Diaspora might have been better satisfied." (Steve Mason, Pennsylvania State University)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (February 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520218434
• ISBN-13: 978-0520218437
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Informative And Very Readable, January 4, 2003

By 

Timothy Dougal (Madison, Wi United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jews in the Mediterranean Diaspora: From Alexander to Trajan (323 BCE-117 CE) (Hellenistic Culture and Society) (Paperback)

Although the title of this book is more like a subtitle and thus is not catchy or memorable, 'Jews of the Mediterranean Diaspora etc.', deserves to be widely read and studied by anyone interested in the development of Judaism and early Christianity. John Barclay is consistently even-handed and fairminded in his considerations of literary and archaeological evidence from the Greco-Roman period, describing a vivid picture of the diversity and unity of Jewish communities in Alexandria, Rome, Cyrene, Anatolia and Syria, as well as the shifting fortunes of these communities under the various regimes. A great deal of the pseudepigraphic literature is examined in detail. The chapter on Paul as a Jew in a Hellenistic society, though short, is more enlightening than several books. Barclay's assessments of, and disagreements with, other scholars work are such that scholarly writing could acquire a good reputation if others would emulate them. The style is as accessible as it is informative. Now I wish Mr. Barclay or someone like him would write similar books on the Pre-Exilic, Exilic, and Persian periods. I can dream, can't I?