The Jewish Identity of Jerusalem in Greek and Roman Sources

[judyinjerusalem]

Fascinating article by  Rivkah Fishman-Duker of the Jewish Political Studies Review
"For ancient Greek and Roman pagan authors, Jerusalem definitely was a Jewish city, as seen in references to Jerusalem from nearly twenty different sources, dating from the third century BCE to the third century CE. These texts indicate unanimous agreement that Jerusalem was Jewish by virtue of the fact that its inhabitants were Jews, it was founded by Jews, and the Temple, located in Jerusalem, was the center of the Jewish religion. Despite the negative views of Jews and Judaism expressed by authors such as Manetho, Apion, Tacitus and Juvenal, the Jewish identity of Jerusalem is always clear and never a subject of dispute. These ancient texts disprove recent attempts by Muslims and others to deny the historic connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and the location of the Temple in Jerusalem through fabrications and lies."  (Jewish Political Studies Review)  Go to http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=625&PID=0&IID=2682 for complete article.

[Sekhmet]

Fascinating article by  Rivkah Fishman-Duker of the Jewish Political Studies Review
"For ancient Greek and Roman pagan authors, Jerusalem definitely was a Jewish city, as seen in references to Jerusalem from nearly twenty different sources, dating from the third century BCE to the third century CE. These texts indicate unanimous agreement that Jerusalem was Jewish by virtue of the fact that its inhabitants were Jews, it was founded by Jews, and the Temple, located in Jerusalem, was the center of the Jewish religion. Despite the negative views of Jews and Judaism expressed by authors such as Manetho, Apion, Tacitus and Juvenal, the Jewish identity of Jerusalem is always clear and never a subject of dispute. These ancient texts disprove recent attempts by Muslims and others to deny the historic connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and the location of the Temple in Jerusalem through fabrications and lies."  (Jewish Political Studies Review)  Go to http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=625&PID=0&IID=2682 for complete article.

Thank you Judy for the link and information.  I have long claimed that the works of the classical authors made Jerusalem, a city of the Jews.  Your providing this article makes me happy.    

It is a shame that any people be they Muslim, or Fundamental Christian, limit their education out of fear.  That education might diminish their religious belief system.  Judism on the other hand, appears has always encouraged education, and to me, in doing so strengthens their religious belief.

[Moses]

The struggle between the Maximalists and Minimalists is something I commented on in other posts.
The truth is that no land belongs to no people.
To the Lord the earth and all in it. Lord gives the land to people and takes the land from people.
I have no doubt that Jerusalem was the Hebrew city as written about in the article. But it was also under Mamluks and Turks, Calif's and Crusaders, Muslims etc. In the 300 BC and following in to CE it was Jewish, no dispute here.

Lord YHWH via his prophet declares that My house will be called house for all the nations.
Take Californians not so long ego it was Mexico now its California USA.
Texas as well. Wars change maps. The Temple and Jewish life where dominant in the time period mentioned.
Traditionally Jerusalem as Israel was taken away because of the sins and betrayal.

I was born is a city that was once Austria Hungary, then it was Poland and later  Romania, Then Ukrainian and today it is Ukrainian. The Polish Pans(Duke) built residence there a very beautiful pallas that today serves as state university, my street houses are all from the Austro Hungarian empire  period. Some neighborhoods of the city no meter who controlled it during its 600 years of known history where Gypsys.

Jordan and Trans Jordan are relatively new countries with Palestinian majority. So Jerusalem today belongs to Jews, Arabs, Greeks and a little bit to Russia there is a church that belongs to Russians.

When the Lord returns as he proclaimed by the prophet his house will be called the house of all the nations.

[Sekhmet]

Hey Judy and Moses in my researching over the past weeks (my Assyrian problems) I was forced to face the earliest mention of Israel outside of the Bible.  That being the Egypt's 19th Dynasty stela of Pharaoh Merenptah.  Which provides the earliest documentation of Israel.  So one does not even have to wait for the Romans or Greeks for written proof.  However when dealing with Westerners it usually helps to have the Romans and/or Greeks providing support.  Unless you want a scientific history of the Earth that is.

Pharaoh Merenptah dates to c. 1221 BCE.


Judy while I understand your post is about the Jewish Identity of Jerusalem in the classical sources.  By forgetting the origin of that Identity we rob the very ancient Jews of their classical product so well documented by the Romans and Greeks.  Hence, my mentioning of Merenptah's Stela.