The Ancient Jews from Alexander to Muhammad

By Seth Schwartz. This is an accessible and up-to-date account of the Jews during the millennium following Alexander the Great's conquest of the East. Unusually, it acknowledges the problems involved in constructing a narrative from fragmentary yet complex evidence and is, implicitly, an exploration of how this might be accomplished. Moreover, unlike most other introductions to the subject, it concentrates primarily on the people rather than issues of theology and adopts a resolutely unsentimental approach to the subject. Professor Schwartz particularly demonstrates the importance of studying Jewish history, texts and artefacts to the broader community of ancient historians because of what they can contribute to wider themes such as Roman imperialism. The book serves as an excellent introduction for students and scholars of Jewish history and of ancient history.
Accessible, up-to-date narrative of Jewish history from 330 BCE to 638 CE ideal for history-oriented courses.
Pays special attention to the Jews' role in the history of the ancient Mediterranean world and Near East.
Brings to the fore the problems inherent in trying to write the history of the Jews in antiquity. Read more...