JWST 234 Lecture Outline Lecture Origins and Development of the Diaspora Theme The Jewish diaspora created a new culture for the Judaeans combining their traditions with Hellenistic customs and additionally causing controversy over citizenship and identity I The Diaspora and dualities a Beginnings VIC BCE i Close association between people and land in a certain place over a certain period of time runs into Babylonian exile 1 Developed a want to be incorporated into Greek life ii Spread Egypt and Mesopotamia to eventually Greece Asia Minor and coastal Western Europe iii Significant growth net effect after many violent interventions shows a high growth rate manifesting itself in a diaspora b Internal forces c External forces II Jewish Origins methods i Education and socialization greater identification with Egypt i Laws and non legal social pressures limits on status of Jews a Exile Judaeans by Assyrian and Babylonian conquests b Refugees escaping political hardship c Military colonies i Settlers serve the king and are not loyal to the local population Important when there is a sharp distinction between the ruling ii class and general public strong ethnic separations d Potential economic opportunity e Non Judaeans i Sense of community 1 Provided services for their members and would therefore attract people ii Marriage and conversion 1 Enslaved Judaeans Children raised as Jews III Growing cities a Elephantine Egypt V BCE i Polytheistic military colony ii Israelite practices sacrificial temple Jerusalem playing the role of religious promoter and supporting tradition b Alexandria Egypt I BCE i Jews identify as party of the Greek community Tensions between Greeks and Jews that eventually lead to violent clashes
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