Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions from Mt. Gerizim and Samaria Between Antiochus III and Antiochus IV Epiphanes

219 Pages·2012·14.54 MB·English

by  Jan Dušek

Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions
from Mt. Gerizim
and Samaria between Antiochus III
and Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Culture and History of the
Ancient Near East
FoundingEditor
M.H.E. Weippert
Editor-in-Chief
Thomas Schneider
Editors
Eckart Frahm
W. Randall Garr
B. Halpern
Theo P.J. van den Hout
Irene J. Winter
VOLUME54
Thetitlespublishedinthisseriesarelistedatbrill.nl/chan
Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions
from Mt. Gerizim
and Samaria between Antiochus III
and Antiochus IV Epiphanes
By
Jan Duˇsek
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2012
ThisstudyistheresultofaresearchactivitywhichispartofthegrantprojectGACˇR401/07/P454“Criticalanalysisofthenew
epigraphicevidencerelatedtothehistoryoftheprovinceofSamariafromthe4thcenturybcetothe1stcenturyce”,whichhas
providedfinancialsupportforitsediting.
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Duˇsek,Jan.
AramaicandHebrewinscriptionsfromMt.GerizimandSamariabetweenAntiochusIIIandAntiochusIVEpiphanes/byJanDuˇsek
p.cm.–(CultureandhistoryoftheancientNearEast;v.54)
Includesbibliographicalreferences.
ISBN978-90-04-18385-8(hardback:alk.paper)1.Inscriptions,Aramaic–WestBank–Gerizim,Mount.2.Inscriptions,
Aramaic–Israel–Sabastiyah.3.Inscriptions,Hebrew–WestBank–Gerizim,Mount.4.Inscriptions,Hebrew–Israel–Sabastiyah.5.
Paleography,Hebrew.6.Paleography,Aramaic.7.Judaism–History–Post-exilicperiod,586B.C.-210A.D.I.Title.
PJ5208.A5D872012
492.4'11–dc23
2011042134
ISSN1566-2055
ISBN9789004183858(hardback)
ISBN9789004225466(e-book)
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(cid:2)ντ(cid:5)(cid:6)τ(cid:7)ωτ(cid:7)(cid:9)(cid:10)ρ(cid:12)ν(cid:7)ωΣαμαρε(cid:16)ςε(cid:18)πρ(cid:20)σσ(cid:5)ντες...
—FlaviusJosephus,JewishAntiquities.

CONTENTS
ListofFigures.................................................................................. xi
Preface ......................................................................................... xiii
Acknowledgements............................................................................ xv
Abbreviations ..................................................................................xvii
Introduction ................................................................................... 1
ChapterOne.ScriptsoftheInscriptionsfromMt.Gerizim.................................. 3
. Temple-CityonMt.Gerizim ........................................................... 3
.. SanctuaryandSacredPrecinct .................................................. 3
.. City ............................................................................... 4
. ScriptsUsedonMt.Gerizim ........................................................... 5
.. AramaicScript ................................................................... 5
.. DatingtheAramaicInscriptions ................................................ 5
.. MonumentalandCursiveAramaicScript:AComparison..................... 8
. AramaicCursiveScript ................................................................. 8
.. LapidaryInscriptions ............................................................ 8
.. InscriptionsWritteninInk ...................................................... 10
.. CursiveFormsAttestedonMt.Gerizim ........................................ 10
.. VarietyoftheFormsofLetters .................................................. 16
... TheDifferencebetweentheInitial/MiddleandFinalForm ............ 17
... DaletandResh............................................................ 19
.. DatingtheAramaicCursiveScriptfromMt.Gerizim.......................... 21
. AramaicMonumentalScript ........................................................... 26
.. FormsAttestedonMt.Gerizim ................................................. 26
.. AramaicMonumentalScriptfromMt.GerizimandtheInscriptionsfrom
th–thorrdCenturiesbce.................................................... 29
... LapidaryInscriptionsfromthePersianPeriod ......................... 29
... LapidaryInscriptionsfromthe(Persianand/or)HellenisticPeriod ... 30
... SmallAramaicInscriptionsinMonumentalStyle ...................... 33
.. MonumentalandCursiveStyleintheAramaicScriptfromMt.Gerizim...... 34
... DistinctiveFeatures ...................................................... 34
... CommonFeatures ....................................................... 36
.. DatingtheAramaicMonumentalScript ........................................ 36
. MixedScript ............................................................................ 37
.. FormsAttestedonMt.Gerizim ................................................. 37
.. Initial/Middle andFinalFormsofLetters....................................... 39
.. Datingthe“MixedScript” ....................................................... 39
. SpellingwithDaletorZayin............................................................ 39
.. AramaicMonumentalScript .................................................... 40
... SpellingwithZayin....................................................... 40
... SpellingwithDalet....................................................... 40
.. AramaicCursiveScript .......................................................... 41
... SpellingwithZayin....................................................... 41
viii contents
... SpellingwithZayinandDalet ........................................... 41
... SpellingwithDalet....................................................... 41
.. “MixedScript”.................................................................... 41
... SpellingwithZayin....................................................... 41
... SpellingwithDalet....................................................... 42
.. SpellingAsaChronologicalFactor?............................................. 42
. RulingofAramaicInscriptions......................................................... 43
.. HorizontalRulingofInscriptionsinAramaicScript ........................... 44
... PatternA ................................................................. 44
... PatternB.................................................................. 46
... PatternDifficulttoDetermine........................................... 48
.. VerticalRuling? .................................................................. 49
.. WhoCarvedtheRulingLines?.................................................. 49
.. TheStyleofAramaicScriptandRulingPractices............................... 51
. MistakesandUnusualSpelling......................................................... 52
.. MistakesObservedbytheAuthorsoftheEditioPrinceps ...................... 52
.. OtherMistakes................................................................... 52
.. UnusualSpelling ................................................................. 54
. Paleo-HebrewFragments............................................................... 54
.. FragmentswithRulingLines .................................................... 54
.. InscriptionswithoutRulingLines............................................... 58
.Conclusion.............................................................................. 59
.. DatingtheAramaicandHebrewInscriptionsfromMt.Gerizim .............. 59
.. PrivateInscriptions .............................................................. 60
... MonumentalStyle........................................................ 60
... CursiveStyleandItsVariety............................................. 60
... ManufacturingthePrivateInscriptions ................................. 61
.. PublicInscription(s) ............................................................. 62
ChapterTwo.Identity ......................................................................... 65
. SamariaintheHellenisticPeriod....................................................... 65
.. FromtheEndofPersianRuletotheEndofPtolemaicRule ................... 65
.. SeleucidRule ..................................................................... 68
. IdentityofWorshippersofYahwehinSamaria ........................................ 74
.. TwoInscriptionsfromDelosandTheirImplicationsforSamaria ............. 75
... DateoftheInscriptions.................................................. 76
... “Israelites” ................................................................ 77
... (cid:5)(cid:22)(cid:23)παρ(cid:10)(cid:12)μεν(cid:5)ι .......................................................... 77
... (cid:22)ερ(cid:5)ν((cid:25)γι(cid:5)ν)(cid:27)Αργαρι(cid:29)ε(cid:30)ν ............................................... 78
.. IdentityoftheSamarianYahwistsintheHellenisticPeriod.................... 79
. ReligiousInstitutionsinHellenisticSamaria .......................................... 81
.. SanctuariesinSamariaDuringtheHellenisticPeriod.......................... 81
.. SeleucidAdministrationoftheLocalSanctuaries .............................. 82
.. PriestsonMt.Gerizim........................................................... 83
.. WorshippersofYahwehonMt.Gerizim ........................................ 83
.. StatusoftheSanctuaryonMt.Gerizim ......................................... 84
. TextsUsedbytheSamarianYahwists:Pentateuch..................................... 85
.. SamaritanPentateuch............................................................ 86
... HarmonisticTexts........................................................ 86
contents ix
... SamarianLayeroftheSamaritanPentateuch ........................... 89
... Deuteronomy:andthe“ChosenPlace” ............................. 90
.. WhenDidtheSamarianYahwistsAdoptthePentateuch?...................... 90
.. WhenWastheSamarianLayerAddedtotheHarmonisticText? .............. 92
... DatingtheHarmonisticBackgroundoftheSamaritanPentateuch .... 92
... PentateuchAsFragileEquilibrium ...................................... 93
... JudaeanModificationofthePentateuch ................................ 94
... SamarianModificationofthePentateuch............................... 95
. SamarianYahwistsAsForeignersintheJewishSociety ............................... 96
.. LawsoftheTorah ................................................................ 97
.. Nehemiah ..................................................................... 99
.. Ant..–.................................................................. 100
.. NewTestament................................................................... 100
. DateandCircumstancesoftheExclusion:TheCaseofSidoniansinShechem....... 101
.. IdentityoftheSidonians......................................................... 101
.. QuestionofHellenization ....................................................... 104
.. Date............................................................................... 107
... CoinswiththeTitlesofAntiochusIVEpiphanes....................... 109
... Macc: ................................................................ 110
... Macc:–........................................................... 112
.. ExclusionoftheSamarianYahwistsandItsConsequences..................... 115
. Conclusion.............................................................................. 116
ChapterThree.SouthernLevantbetweenAntiochusIIIandAntiochusIVEpiphanes..... 119
. Ant..–:Seleucids,PtolemiesandTobiads ................................... 119
.. Ant..–:thandthSyrianWarsandTheirConsequences .......... 120
.. Ant..–:TheTobiads ................................................... 120
. ChronologyofJosephusinAnt..–........................................... 120
. SeleucidandPtolemaicKingsinAnt..–..................................... 122
. TheDotalAgreement(Ant..–) .............................................. 123
.. LiteraryEvidence ................................................................ 123
.. ObjectoftheDowry:LandorTaxes?............................................ 124
.. LegalandHistoricalAspectsoftheDotalAgreement.......................... 125
.. EvidenceforLegalAnalysis...................................................... 127
.. Inscriptions....................................................................... 127
.. Coins ............................................................................. 128
.. Date............................................................................... 129
. TheTobiads ............................................................................. 132
.. Araqel-EmirandtheTobiads ................................................... 133
... EvidenceofTexts......................................................... 133
... Archaeology.............................................................. 135
... DatingtheTobiahInscriptions .......................................... 136
.. ChronologyoftheTobiadsintheHellenisticPeriod ........................... 137
... Joseph,SonofTobias,IsaLiteraryFiction.............................. 139
... Joseph,SonofTobias,WasActiveEssentiallyintherdCenturybce 140
... Joseph,SonofTobias,WasActiveintherdandalsointhend
Centuriesbce ............................................................ 142
... Joseph,SonofTobias,WasActiveEssentiallyinthendCenturybce 143
... MostProbableTimeofActivityofJosephtheTobiad .................. 143