Moses among the Greek Lawgivers: Reading Josephus’ Antiquities through Plutarch’s Lives

Full title
Moses among the Greek Lawgivers: Reading Josephus’ Antiquities through Plutarch’s Lives
Updated By
Research notes

RAC/not checked/03/12/2023

Reference type
Author(s)
Westwood, Ursula
Year
2023
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism
Issue / Series Volume
210
Abbreviated Series Name
JSJSup
Publisher
Brill
Place of Publication
Leiden
Work type
Label
04/12/2023
Abstract

Josephus’ Antiquities introduces Moses as the Jewish lawgiver, adapting the biblical account for a new audience. But who was that audience, and what did they understand by the term lawgiver (νομοθέτης)? This book uses Plutarch’s Lives as a proxy for an imagined audience, providing a historically grounded but flexible model of a lawgiver, against which some of the otherwise invisible forces shaping Josephus’ choices are thrown into sharp relief. This method reveals patterns of appeal and challenge in Josephus’ intriguing and lively account of Moses’ legislative activities.