Review of deSilva, Judea under Greek and Roman rule

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Judea under Greek and Roman rule.

David A. deSilva, Judea under Greek and Roman rule. Essentials of biblical studies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2024. Pp. 216. ISBN 9780190263256.

Review by
Gary Gilbert, Claremont McKenna College. gary.gilbert@claremontmckenna.edu

For some time now, it has been well-accepted that when studying biblical texts and the history of Jews and Christians in antiquity one should have a solid understanding of the context, or what often used to be referred to as the background, to these texts and history. One needed, therefore, a basic familiarity with the languages, history, literatures, and cultures of the contemporary societies, be they Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, or Roman. David A. deSilva has taken this to heart, and produced an excellent primer on the history of Judea as part of the “larger story of the activities and interests of the Seleucid, Ptolemaic, Roman and Parthian empires” ...

I noted the publication of the book here.

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