Ory Amitay | University of Haifa (original) (raw)

Papers by Ory Amitay

Research paper thumbnail of The Alexander Romance : The Case for Hellenistic Origins

Liminal Alexander Conference, 2024

The Alexander Romance (AR) is a literary text that stands on the border of history and myth. On t... more The Alexander Romance (AR) is a literary text that stands on the border of history and myth. On the one hand, it tells the story of a fully historical character, i.e. Alexander himself, and presents a supporting cast of other historical figures, such as the Persian monarch Dareios, the Indian monarch Poros, and the Makedonian general and future Pharaoh Ptolemy. On the other hand the storyline of the AR, while preserving some historical facts from Alexander’s time, is clearly a-historical, including some fictions as Alexander’s dealings with Rome and Carthage, a campaign in the Aegean arena after the first battle with Dareios, and a plethora of incidents which are not only a-historical, but are also unnatural (meeting people with two or no heads, or humanoids with canine heads or serpentine feet).
In my presentation I intend to argue that this unusual mythistorical mix is a product of its origins in Ptolemaic Egypt. In this context the AR was first composed as a piece of Ptolemaic propaganda, which used the figure of Alexander as a proxy for the Ptolemaic dynasty, reshaping history in order to fit Ptolemaic circumstances and agenda. In this way the Makedonian’s travels and conquests are realigned to present the wide reach of the Ptolemies around the middle of the third century BCE (that is, under Ptolemy II Philadelphos and in particular Ptolemy III Euergetes). In response, a secondary branch of the tradition, reflecting Seleukid realities and interests, came into being some two generations later. Therefore, the underlying literary logic of AR as a whole, that is using historical material in an a-historical fashion in order to comment on current affairs, creates a new kind of literary genre that is, by its very definition, liminal in nature.

Research paper thumbnail of 3. The Passage to India

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander and Caligula in the Jerusalem Temple

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander and Jesus

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander in Ancient Jewish Literature

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Feb 3, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of 7. Alexander and the End of Days

Research paper thumbnail of 1. Son of Man, Son ofGod

Research paper thumbnail of The Correspondence in I Maccabees and the Possible Origins of the Judeo-Spartan Connection

Scripta classica israelica, 2013

In one sentence: the "Spartan letters" are, in my mind, authentic historical do... more In one sentence: the "Spartan letters" are, in my mind, authentic historical documents.

Research paper thumbnail of Why did Alexander the Great besiege Tyre

Athenäum, 2008

RefDoc Bienvenue - Welcome. Refdoc est un service / is powered by. ...

Research paper thumbnail of From Alexander to Jesus

Page 1. FROM ALEXANDER TO JESUS ORY AMITAY Page 2. Imprint in Classical Literature In honor of be... more Page 1. FROM ALEXANDER TO JESUS ORY AMITAY Page 2. Imprint in Classical Literature In honor of beloved Virgil— “O degli altri poeti onore e lume . . .” —Dante, Inferno The Joan Palevsky Page 3. ... Page 4. From Alexander to Jesus Page 5. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Post Mortem

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix C. Alexander Alcoholicus

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix A. Alexander and David

Research paper thumbnail of 5. Amazon Queen

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix B. Sacrifices and Other Religious Matters in the Alexander Histories

Research paper thumbnail of 2. In the Footsteps of Herakles

Research paper thumbnail of Book review: Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity, written by Alexei M. Sivertsev

Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman period, Jul 24, 2014

Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity by Sivertsev is a fascinating and illuminating bo... more Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity by Sivertsev is a fascinating and illuminating book. As stated in the introduction, its goal and purpose is to show how the Jewish community under Byzantine rule in the sixth and sev enth centuries was not only "increasingly inward-looking and ethnocentric," but also "developed a coherent worldview that did not merely seek to subvert, undermine, and overturn the dominant imperial discourse," but rather "appropriate^] this discourse as part of Judaism's own narrative", creating a Jewish counter-history, aiming to position "Judaism as the successor of Rome's and Constantinople's universalism" (5-7). S. achieves this goal through multiple examples, cogent textual analysis and lucid rhetoric. In chs. 1, 4, 5 S. sets out how Byzantine supersessionist ideol ogy, aimed originally to legitimize and explain the replacement of Rome by Constantinople, was appropriated and adapted by Jewish authors to present Jerusalem (the heart of Judaism) as the ultimate winner in the supersession of divinely-sanctioned ecumenical rule. The particular Jewish slant is that worldrule goes back to the Davidic kings, and that the Roman Empire, considered by Byzantine ideologues as a positive predecessor, is viewed from the Jewish angle as a necessary usurper. Nevertheless, "Israel is implicitly portrayed as the legitimate successor not only of the Davidic kingdom but of the Roman Empire as well," whereas the Davidic past is envisioned in Byzantine terms (28). In demonstration of his argument S. focuses on particular tropes of politi cal mythology, such as the holy symbolism of Jerusalem, the mother of the Messiah vis-ä-vis Hellenistic-Roman Tyche and the Byzantine Theotokos, the throne of Solomon, the spolia of the Jerusalem temple (ingeniously compared with the Trojan Palladium in Rome and Constantinople), Armilos and the Antichrist, the Messiah and the myth of the Last Emperor, et alia. However, S. achieves much more. For one, His book is a valuable general introduction both to the eschatological thought of late antiquity (Jewish and Christian), and to many aspects of Byzantine culture. In this respect, various parts of the book can be usefully assigned as background reading in beginner classes and in research-oriented seminars. But that is not all. The mythologicalpolitical imagery, exerted a strong influence on the histories of both Judaism and Christianity. For example, the Byzantine myth of the Last Emperor is as essential to the understanding of European eschatology (and consequently history) as the Messiah of Sefer Zerubbabel is for the understanding of its Jewish counterpart. The close discussion of Even Shetiyyah (65-77

Research paper thumbnail of Amazon Queen

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Shim῾on ha-Şadiq in his Historical Contexts

Journal of Jewish Studies, Oct 1, 2007

Résumé/Abstract The identity and chronology of Shim'on ha-Şadiq have been a subject ... more Résumé/Abstract The identity and chronology of Shim'on ha-Şadiq have been a subject of ongoing controversy for centuries. Three possible candidates have been suggested as Shim'on ha-Şadiq: Shim'on I and Shim'on II-Şadoqite high-priests at both ends of the third ...

Research paper thumbnail of In the Footsteps of Herakles

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of The Alexander Romance : The Case for Hellenistic Origins

Liminal Alexander Conference, 2024

The Alexander Romance (AR) is a literary text that stands on the border of history and myth. On t... more The Alexander Romance (AR) is a literary text that stands on the border of history and myth. On the one hand, it tells the story of a fully historical character, i.e. Alexander himself, and presents a supporting cast of other historical figures, such as the Persian monarch Dareios, the Indian monarch Poros, and the Makedonian general and future Pharaoh Ptolemy. On the other hand the storyline of the AR, while preserving some historical facts from Alexander’s time, is clearly a-historical, including some fictions as Alexander’s dealings with Rome and Carthage, a campaign in the Aegean arena after the first battle with Dareios, and a plethora of incidents which are not only a-historical, but are also unnatural (meeting people with two or no heads, or humanoids with canine heads or serpentine feet).
In my presentation I intend to argue that this unusual mythistorical mix is a product of its origins in Ptolemaic Egypt. In this context the AR was first composed as a piece of Ptolemaic propaganda, which used the figure of Alexander as a proxy for the Ptolemaic dynasty, reshaping history in order to fit Ptolemaic circumstances and agenda. In this way the Makedonian’s travels and conquests are realigned to present the wide reach of the Ptolemies around the middle of the third century BCE (that is, under Ptolemy II Philadelphos and in particular Ptolemy III Euergetes). In response, a secondary branch of the tradition, reflecting Seleukid realities and interests, came into being some two generations later. Therefore, the underlying literary logic of AR as a whole, that is using historical material in an a-historical fashion in order to comment on current affairs, creates a new kind of literary genre that is, by its very definition, liminal in nature.

Research paper thumbnail of 3. The Passage to India

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander and Caligula in the Jerusalem Temple

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander and Jesus

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Alexander in Ancient Jewish Literature

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Feb 3, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of 7. Alexander and the End of Days

Research paper thumbnail of 1. Son of Man, Son ofGod

Research paper thumbnail of The Correspondence in I Maccabees and the Possible Origins of the Judeo-Spartan Connection

Scripta classica israelica, 2013

In one sentence: the "Spartan letters" are, in my mind, authentic historical do... more In one sentence: the "Spartan letters" are, in my mind, authentic historical documents.

Research paper thumbnail of Why did Alexander the Great besiege Tyre

Athenäum, 2008

RefDoc Bienvenue - Welcome. Refdoc est un service / is powered by. ...

Research paper thumbnail of From Alexander to Jesus

Page 1. FROM ALEXANDER TO JESUS ORY AMITAY Page 2. Imprint in Classical Literature In honor of be... more Page 1. FROM ALEXANDER TO JESUS ORY AMITAY Page 2. Imprint in Classical Literature In honor of beloved Virgil— “O degli altri poeti onore e lume . . .” —Dante, Inferno The Joan Palevsky Page 3. ... Page 4. From Alexander to Jesus Page 5. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Post Mortem

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix C. Alexander Alcoholicus

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix A. Alexander and David

Research paper thumbnail of 5. Amazon Queen

Research paper thumbnail of Appendix B. Sacrifices and Other Religious Matters in the Alexander Histories

Research paper thumbnail of 2. In the Footsteps of Herakles

Research paper thumbnail of Book review: Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity, written by Alexei M. Sivertsev

Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman period, Jul 24, 2014

Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity by Sivertsev is a fascinating and illuminating bo... more Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity by Sivertsev is a fascinating and illuminating book. As stated in the introduction, its goal and purpose is to show how the Jewish community under Byzantine rule in the sixth and sev enth centuries was not only "increasingly inward-looking and ethnocentric," but also "developed a coherent worldview that did not merely seek to subvert, undermine, and overturn the dominant imperial discourse," but rather "appropriate^] this discourse as part of Judaism's own narrative", creating a Jewish counter-history, aiming to position "Judaism as the successor of Rome's and Constantinople's universalism" (5-7). S. achieves this goal through multiple examples, cogent textual analysis and lucid rhetoric. In chs. 1, 4, 5 S. sets out how Byzantine supersessionist ideol ogy, aimed originally to legitimize and explain the replacement of Rome by Constantinople, was appropriated and adapted by Jewish authors to present Jerusalem (the heart of Judaism) as the ultimate winner in the supersession of divinely-sanctioned ecumenical rule. The particular Jewish slant is that worldrule goes back to the Davidic kings, and that the Roman Empire, considered by Byzantine ideologues as a positive predecessor, is viewed from the Jewish angle as a necessary usurper. Nevertheless, "Israel is implicitly portrayed as the legitimate successor not only of the Davidic kingdom but of the Roman Empire as well," whereas the Davidic past is envisioned in Byzantine terms (28). In demonstration of his argument S. focuses on particular tropes of politi cal mythology, such as the holy symbolism of Jerusalem, the mother of the Messiah vis-ä-vis Hellenistic-Roman Tyche and the Byzantine Theotokos, the throne of Solomon, the spolia of the Jerusalem temple (ingeniously compared with the Trojan Palladium in Rome and Constantinople), Armilos and the Antichrist, the Messiah and the myth of the Last Emperor, et alia. However, S. achieves much more. For one, His book is a valuable general introduction both to the eschatological thought of late antiquity (Jewish and Christian), and to many aspects of Byzantine culture. In this respect, various parts of the book can be usefully assigned as background reading in beginner classes and in research-oriented seminars. But that is not all. The mythologicalpolitical imagery, exerted a strong influence on the histories of both Judaism and Christianity. For example, the Byzantine myth of the Last Emperor is as essential to the understanding of European eschatology (and consequently history) as the Messiah of Sefer Zerubbabel is for the understanding of its Jewish counterpart. The close discussion of Even Shetiyyah (65-77

Research paper thumbnail of Amazon Queen

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Shim῾on ha-Şadiq in his Historical Contexts

Journal of Jewish Studies, Oct 1, 2007

Résumé/Abstract The identity and chronology of Shim'on ha-Şadiq have been a subject ... more Résumé/Abstract The identity and chronology of Shim'on ha-Şadiq have been a subject of ongoing controversy for centuries. Three possible candidates have been suggested as Shim'on ha-Şadiq: Shim'on I and Shim'on II-Şadoqite high-priests at both ends of the third ...

Research paper thumbnail of In the Footsteps of Herakles

University of California Press eBooks, Oct 28, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Colloquium marking the publication of "In Search of the Phoenicians" by Josephine Quinn -- The Haifa Phoenician Series 2018

Thursday, 22 November 2018 Colloquium marking the publication of "In Search of the Phoenicians" b... more Thursday, 22 November 2018
Colloquium marking the publication of "In Search of the Phoenicians"
by Josephine Crawley Quinn
In Collaboration with The Maxwell Cummings Family Chair
for the Study of Mediterranean Culture and History, Tel Aviv University

Research paper thumbnail of Postdoc to study the Greek Alexander Romance

At the University of Haifa, 2023-24 Annutal stipend NIS 100,000 (second year possible) Ancient Gr... more At the University of Haifa, 2023-24
Annutal stipend NIS 100,000 (second year possible)
Ancient Greek mandatory. Classical Armenian highly desirable!
Deadline: June 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Postdoc to study the Greek (and Armenian) Alexander Romance

At the University of Haifa, 2023-24 100,000 NIS (second year possible) Ancient Greek mandatory; C... more At the University of Haifa, 2023-24
100,000 NIS (second year possible)
Ancient Greek mandatory; Classic Armenian highly desirable!
Deadline: June 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of כנס ״גוף וגופים בעולם העתיק״ - כנס תלמידי.ות מחקר

בשיתוף עם הכנס השנתי של האגודה לקידום לימודים קלאסיים בישראל