File:2020 Zeldes.jpg

Nadia Zeldes, Reading Jewish History in the Renaissance: Christians, Jews, and the Hebrew Sefer Josippon (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2020).

Abstract

"This study examines the discourse surrounding Josippon in religious polemics and in the construction of historical and mythical narratives during the Renaissance period ... Using the Hebrew Book of Josippon as a prism, this study analyzes the dialogue surrounding Jewish history among Renaissance humanists. Notwithstanding its focus on the Renaissance, the author’s analysis extends to the consumption of Josippon in the High Middle Ages and into interpretations by sixteenth- and seventeenth-century humanists. With a focus on both Christian and Jewish discourse, the author examines the mythical and historical narratives that developed from Josippon."--Publisher description.

Contents

Chapter 1: Josippon: a source of general history and role models for medieval Jews -- Chapter 2: The Christian reception of Sefer Josippon in the Middle Ages -- Chapter 3: Josippon as a source for founding myths: a Jewish version of Renaissance forgeries -- Chapter 4: The Book of Josippon in the Renaissance: Christian Hebraists and religious polemic -- Chapter 5: The Book of Josippon in the Renaissance: Jewish historiography and religious polemic -- Chapter 6: Fifteenth-century vernacular translations of the Book of Josippon -- Chapter 7: Demolishing the myth: the Book of Josippon under humanistic scrutiny.

External links