Josephus, Jerusalem, and the Martyrs of Medieval England
Josephus, Jerusalem, and the Martyrs of Medieval England
This chapter examines a constellation of texts that establish the terms of Jewish Diaspora through competing claims to Flavius Josephus's Greek historical works, which focused interest on the Testimonium Flavianum and the Destruction of Jerusalem or “Pseudo-Hegesippus.” In his treatise On the Instruction of Princes, the twelfth-century historian Gerald of Wales reveals the conflict between Jews and Christians over the authenticity and cultural significance of ancient postbiblical writing as well as the bible itself. He accuses the Jews of a willingness to alter their own scriptures in order to support their claims against Christians in debates. This chapter considers how the various “Josephus” texts shape Diaspora in both the Christian and Jewish imaginations, particularly in ideas about conversion and resistance. It also discusses Sefer Yosippon, a Hebrew version of parts of Josephus's Antiquities and Jewish War.
Keywords: conversion, Diaspora, Josephus, Testimonium Flavianum, Jerusalem, Pseudo-Hegesippus, Jewish War, Jews, Christians, Sefer Yosippon
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