Cultures of Resistance in the Hellenistic East

This collaborative volume explores revolts and resistance against the successor states of the Persian empire, highlighting the transregional nature of these movements. It brings together experts from different regions to compare and connect episodes of resistance, examining the complex and entangled factors that shaped them, including local cultural, religious, and moral frameworks. The book is organized into three parts, exploring the Great Theban Revolt and the Maccabean Revolt, indigenous self-assertion, and claims to local autonomy in the frontier regions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This comprehensive volume delves into the phenomenon of revolts and resistance against the successor states that emerged after Alexander the Great's conquest of the Persian empire. The editors have brought together a diverse group of experts from various regions and cultures within the Hellenistic world, including Judea, Egypt, Babylonia, Central Asia, and Asia Minor. Their goal is to explore similarities and connections between different episodes of resistance and modes of activism across these diverse contexts. The volume aims to bridge the gap between the dominant social-scientific approach to ancient resistance and revolt and perspectives that often originate from religious studies, with a focus on local cultural, religious, and moral frameworks. By re-evaluating these frameworks, the contributors challenge the binary of Greek versus non-Greek and recognize resistance as a complex and entangled phenomenon. Acts and expressions of resistance are not solely driven by nativistic or nationalist ideologies but are shaped by local traditions of governance, historical memories of past periods, and emerging transregional Hellenistic political and cultural idioms.

Cultures of Resistance in the Hellenistic East is structured into three distinct parts. The first part focuses on the Great Theban Revolt and the Maccabean Revolt, which serve as pivotal examples of large-scale, organized, and prolonged military uprisings against the Hellenistic kingdoms. The second part examines a wide range of indigenous self-assertion and resistant actions, encompassing theologies of monarchic inadequacy, patterns of historical periodization and textual interpretation, and claims to sites of authority. The final part delves into the more ambiguous assertions of local autonomy and identity that emerge in the frontier regions that fluctuated between the control of the great Hellenistic powers.

Through this multidisciplinary approach, Cultures of Resistance in the Hellenistic East offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex dynamics of resistance and revolt in the Hellenistic world. It sheds light on the diverse ways in which individuals and communities responded to the challenges posed by the empire's expansion and consolidation, and highlights the importance of considering local contexts and cultural frameworks in analyzing these movements. The volume's rich array of perspectives and insights will be of interest to scholars and students of ancient history, political science, sociology, and religious studies alike.

Weight: 514g
Dimension: 224 x 147 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192863478