Plotting Antiochus’s Death: The Book of Daniel on the End of Seleucid Rule
According to Dan 11:45, the king of the north, recognizably Antiochus IV, dies in the area of Judea, bringing an end to his kingdom. The book of Daniel thus provides a unique, although historically inaccurate, perspective on the downfall of the Seleucid Empire. In this article I show that this accou...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2023
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| In: |
Vetus Testamentum
Year: 2023, Volume: 73, Issue: 4/5, Pages: 505-521 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Antiochus IV Seleucid Empire, King 215 BC-164 BC
/ End of the world
/ Bible. Daniel 11,40-45
/ Seleucid Empire
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament HD Early Judaism |
| Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | According to Dan 11:45, the king of the north, recognizably Antiochus IV, dies in the area of Judea, bringing an end to his kingdom. The book of Daniel thus provides a unique, although historically inaccurate, perspective on the downfall of the Seleucid Empire. In this article I show that this account uses two Danielic kings—Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar—as models for Antiochus’s actions and thus exposes a literary pattern used to portray the king’s end. I argue that doing so, Dan 11 is more interested in reflecting on kingship in Judea in the post-Seleucid period than conveying historical information. Finally, I explore the implications of this reading on our understanding of Daniel’s historical settings. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5330 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Vetus Testamentum
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685330-bja10118 |