Bibliography
| Title: An Unknown Source on a Possible Treaty Between Hyrcanus I and the Parthians Pages: 331-338 Type: Generic Year: 1981 Abstract: "During the second century BCE, Parthians and Jews shared a common political interest: opposition to the Seleucid empire. When Antiochus VII Sidetes embarked on his campaign against Parthia in 130/129 BCE, Hyrcanus was forced to accompany him as an ally. However, the circumstances surrounding his participation in this war - as recorded by Josephus - are somewhat puzzling and unclear. It appears that a passage in version C of Josippon shed new light on this episode. The passage, which is an addition to the original text of Josippon, contains an explicit description of a military pact between Parthia and the Jews from precisely the same year, 130/129 BCE. Other addenda of a similar nature have been proved of historical value, and it is likely that this reference to a Parthian-Judson pact is based on an anti-Jewish Hellenistic source, possibly Posidonius. A pact of this nature would correspond to the events of 130/129, as described by Diodorus and Justinus. These historians indirectly confirm the information preserved in the addendum to Josippon, and with no evidence to the contrary, the existence of a Parthian-Judaen pact is most plausible." Keywords: Jewish History: Hasmonean / Maccabean Era |