Category:Second Temple Studies--Fiction

The page: Second Temple Fiction contains (in chronological order} more than 400 fictional works (literature, music, cinema) in the field of Second Temple Studies, from the late 15th century to the present. The major subjects are here listed to facilitate the finding of the material.

For a comprehensive view of all fictional works included in 4 Enoch, see Fiction.
For the research of the iconography of the subjects, see Art.

Pietro Metastasio

Georg Frideric Haendel

Lew Wallace

Oscar Wilde

Howard Fast

Highlights

Esther and Judith are the first (fictional) characters of Second Temple Judaism, who received attention by modern novelists and artists. Their stories were located in an ill-defined "ancient" Israel with no attempt at historical accuracy. On the other hand, the tradition of the "vindicta Salvatoris" had a much more precise historical setting, but also a very specific theological agenda, focusing on the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus as an act of revenge by God for the killing of Jesus by the "Jews".

The rediscovery of Josephus on the 16th century provided a vivid and "accurate" setting for characters taken from his writings or events that could be located in the same framework. Some characters (either historical or ficticious) became popular: Herod and Mariamne, the Wandering Jew, Titus and Berenice...

The oratorio in the 18th century was the best means to popularize biblical events. Librettists like Apostolo Zeno and Pietro Metastasio imagined beautiful stories on the background of the Second Temple. Some composers like Georg Frideric Haendel showed a particular fascination for the period.

After the oratorio, it was the opera. Mozart's La clemenza di Tito , Rossini's Ciro in Babilonia, and Verdi's Nabucco had all a Second Temple Jewish setting.

Especially, with the success of historical novels on biblical subjects, the events of the Second Temple period became more and more familiar to European and American audiences. The popularity of Ben Hur and Salome was fueled by the fascination for the Orient that permeated the arts at the turn of the 20th century. The novel of Lew Wallace as well as Oscar Wilde's play and Richard Strauss's opera are among the best known masterpieces of the period and were received enthusiastically by the public.

Zionism focused on the Maccabean revolt as the last glorious chapter of Jewish nationalism and independence and found even in Spartacus the opportunity to praise Jewish heroism and fighting for liberty.

Esther -- Judith

Herod the Great -- Mariamne

Herod Antipas -- Herodias

Salome -- John the Baptist

Ben-Hur -- Wandering Jew

Jesus of Nazareth -- Paul of Tarsus

Philo of Alexandria -- Flavius Josephus

Berenice -- Titus

Judas Maccabeus -- Judith -- Salome Alexandra]]

Qumran

Herodian Period

Herod the Great -- Mariamne

Dance of Salome

Salome -- John the Baptist
Herod Antipas -- Herodias

Christian Origins

Jesus of Nazareth -- Mary of Nazareth -- Mary Magdalene -- Paul of Tarsus

Jewish War

Josephus -- Vespasian -- Titus -- Berenice -- Herod Agrippa II

Siege of Masada

Bar Kokhba Revolt

Second Temple Fiction

Major Subjects

Persian Period : Esther

Hellenistic Period : Maccabees -- Judith

Roman Period : Herod the Great -- Herod Antipas -- Herodias -- Salome -- Salome -- John the Baptist -- Ben-Hur -- Jewish War -- Masada -- Josephus -- Berenice -- Titus -- Esther of Engaddi -- Bar-Kokhba

See also Qumran Studies--Fiction -- Historical Jesus Studies--Fiction -- Christian Origins Studies--Fiction -- Pauline Studies--Fiction

The Tragedy of Mariam, the Fair Queen of Jewry (1604), a play by Elizabeth Cary

First original tragedy by a woman written in English and the earliest English handling of the story of Herod and Mariamne, based on Josephus. Herod is no longer merely the cruel, ranting tyrant of the mystery cycles, but now is the passionate lover as well, dogged by an overpowering jealously. The play draws a contrast between the essential integrity of Mariamne and the deceit and double dealing of Salome. Six characters die, including Mariamne.

Elizabeth Cary (Elizabeth Tanfield Cary, Lady Falkland; 1585-1639) was a British playwright.

Lettres de Bérénice à Titus (1642), a novel by Madeleine de Scudéry

The beginning of the tradition depicting Berenice as a self-sacrificing heroine. According to Scudéry, Titus and Berenice had legally married in Judaea and were happily living in Rome when Vespasian died and left the throne to his son. At that juncture the hidden hatred of the Roman people for a foreign queen broke out with violence... Realizing that Titus had to choose between his love for her and his future as emperor of Rome, Berenice went out of Titus’ life of her own accord, preferring to sacrifice her love rather than the man she loved.

Madeleine de Scudéry (1607-1701) was a French novelist and playwright. The sister of Georges de Scudéry received an uncommonly well-rounded education for a woman of her time, not only in the arts but also in ancient history and languages. She reinvented the characters of Titus and Berenice as fictional protagonists of one of the most intriguing love story of antiquity.