Josephus on Herod’s Domestic Intrigue in the Jewish War

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" Josephus on Herod’s Domestic Intrigue in the Jewish War "
Helen K. Bond

Document Type	:	AL
Record Number	:	1075146
Doc. No	:	LA118775
Call No	:	‭10.1163/157006312X644128‬
Language of Document	:	English
Main Entry	:	Helen K. Bond
Title & Author	:	Josephus on Herod’s Domestic Intrigue in the Jewish War [Article]\ Helen K. Bond
Publication Statement	:	Leiden: Brill
Title of Periodical	:	Journal for the Study of Judaism
Date	:	2012
Volume/ Issue Number	:	43/3
Page No	:	295–314
Abstract	:	This article argues that women and domestic intrigue are prominent within the Herod narrative in Josephus’ Jewish War for a specific rhetorical reason. While the first half of the narrative presents the famous king in encomiastic terms, using him to illustrate Josephus’ contention that Jews generally were content to remain loyal to Rome, the second half of the account subtly presents a rather different thesis. Attention to domestic drama allowed Josephus to suggest that Herod was a man who was unable to control either his own emotions or his turbulent family, and so was unfit to rule. Ultimately for Josephus, the ideal constituency for Judaea is not monarchy (as represented by Herod) but the theocratic reign of priests. This article argues that women and domestic intrigue are prominent within the Herod narrative in Josephus’ Jewish War for a specific rhetorical reason. While the first half of the narrative presents the famous king in encomiastic terms, using him to illustrate Josephus’ contention that Jews generally were content to remain loyal to Rome, the second half of the account subtly presents a rather different thesis. Attention to domestic drama allowed Josephus to suggest that Herod was a man who was unable to control either his own emotions or his turbulent family, and so was unfit to rule. Ultimately for Josephus, the ideal constituency for Judaea is not monarchy (as represented by Herod) but the theocratic reign of priests.
Descriptor	:	Herod
Descriptor	:	Jewish War
Descriptor	:	Josephus
Descriptor	:	literary tropes
Descriptor	:	monarchy
Descriptor	:	rhetorical motifs
Descriptor	:	women
Location & Call number	:	‭10.1163/157006312X644128‬