Magic in the works of Flavius Josephus
Magic in the works of Flavius Josephus
The aim of this thesis is to analyse Josephus’ approach and understanding of the category and terminology of magic. Through a detailed examination of every instance of his employments of the most distinctive magical terms (γόης, μαντις, μαγος, φαρμακός/φαρμακον) in his works, coupled with three detailed case studies of his biblical paraphrase in the Jewish Antiquities, and set against an analysis of these same terms in the literature of his first century CE Graeco-Roman context, I will explore his distinctive approach to magic. This is an area of Josephan scholarship which has been largely untouched; this thesis represents the first detailed analysis of Josephus’ approach to magic, as well as the first comprehensive survey of his employment of magical terminology.
Chapter 1 introduces a number of fundamental aspects of this thesis, beginning with a consideration of the term ‘magic’, its relationship to religion, its uses and abuses in previous scholarly approaches, and the importance of terminology with respect to a rigorous and non-dichotomous approach in the exploration of the ancient texts. It will also consider Josephus as author; his context, sources, audience, and aims. Finally, it briefly outlines my approaches to primary (the biblical texts) and secondary (Philo, Pseudo-Philo, PGM, Graeco-Roman authors) sources.
Chapter 2 will examines the role of magic and its terminology in Josephus’ world, considering both the Jewish and Roman aspects of his unique situation.
Chapter 3, the first of the specific case studies, will analyse Josephus’ use of magical terminology in his paraphrasing of the biblical story of Moses’ magical battle at the court of Pharaoh. Following a detailed consideration of his biblical sources and their use of magical terminology, I consider Josephus’ own appraisal, engaging in a detailed study of his own employments, and considering this against our authors’ own social context, his concerns for the representation of Judaism and his understanding of Roman thinking on magic.
Chapter 4 considers a similar approach to the figure of Balaam. Chapter 5, the last of the case studies, focuses on the witch of Endor.
Chapter 6 concludes by depicting Josephus as an author conscious of both positive and negative traditions of magic, capable of relating the magical stories of his Jewish heritage to a Roman audience through the precise and considered use of magical terminology.
University of Southampton
Jewell, Philip Edward
6bd5aa4f-ca73-4ca7-9b9f-4bdefa166a25
2006
Jewell, Philip Edward
6bd5aa4f-ca73-4ca7-9b9f-4bdefa166a25
Jewell, Philip Edward
(2006)
Magic in the works of Flavius Josephus.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to analyse Josephus’ approach and understanding of the category and terminology of magic. Through a detailed examination of every instance of his employments of the most distinctive magical terms (γόης, μαντις, μαγος, φαρμακός/φαρμακον) in his works, coupled with three detailed case studies of his biblical paraphrase in the Jewish Antiquities, and set against an analysis of these same terms in the literature of his first century CE Graeco-Roman context, I will explore his distinctive approach to magic. This is an area of Josephan scholarship which has been largely untouched; this thesis represents the first detailed analysis of Josephus’ approach to magic, as well as the first comprehensive survey of his employment of magical terminology.
Chapter 1 introduces a number of fundamental aspects of this thesis, beginning with a consideration of the term ‘magic’, its relationship to religion, its uses and abuses in previous scholarly approaches, and the importance of terminology with respect to a rigorous and non-dichotomous approach in the exploration of the ancient texts. It will also consider Josephus as author; his context, sources, audience, and aims. Finally, it briefly outlines my approaches to primary (the biblical texts) and secondary (Philo, Pseudo-Philo, PGM, Graeco-Roman authors) sources.
Chapter 2 will examines the role of magic and its terminology in Josephus’ world, considering both the Jewish and Roman aspects of his unique situation.
Chapter 3, the first of the specific case studies, will analyse Josephus’ use of magical terminology in his paraphrasing of the biblical story of Moses’ magical battle at the court of Pharaoh. Following a detailed consideration of his biblical sources and their use of magical terminology, I consider Josephus’ own appraisal, engaging in a detailed study of his own employments, and considering this against our authors’ own social context, his concerns for the representation of Judaism and his understanding of Roman thinking on magic.
Chapter 4 considers a similar approach to the figure of Balaam. Chapter 5, the last of the case studies, focuses on the witch of Endor.
Chapter 6 concludes by depicting Josephus as an author conscious of both positive and negative traditions of magic, capable of relating the magical stories of his Jewish heritage to a Roman audience through the precise and considered use of magical terminology.
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Published date: 2006
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Local EPrints ID: 466141
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/466141
PURE UUID: cff47d19-56f6-4f46-86c1-f58a628a5f8c
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Date deposited: 05 Jul 2022 04:28
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 20:32
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Author:
Philip Edward Jewell
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