Dositheos and Theodosios, and Other Greek theos-Names in a Jewish Context in Greco-Roman Egypt

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Research notes

AC/15/12/2025/not checked

Reference type
Author(s)
Clarysse, Willy
Broux, Yanne
Year
2024
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period
Volume
55
Issue / Series Volume
2
Abbreviated Series Name
JSJ
Pages
149-168
Work type
Language
Label
05/01/2026
Orion Center Library has physical copy
Abstract

It has long been noted that theos-names have a strong connection with the Jewish diaspora in Egypt. In this article, we look at two of the most common names of this type, Dositheos and Theodosios, and the practice of garbling the orthography of these names, as -θης for Dositheos, and Θη-, Θευ-, and Τευ- for names starting with Θεο-. We propose a link with a growing avoidance in the Roman period of the use of the name of Jahweh.