Aristeas
Interlinear version (Beta)
About
The Letter of Aristeas, a Hellenistic Jewish text, is attributed to a figure named Aristeas, who claims to be a courtier of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (3rd century BC). However, this authorship is widely regarded as pseudonymous, as the letter was likely composed in the 2nd century BC by an anonymous Jewish writer.
The text recounts the legendary translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, known as the Septuagint, and emphasizes the harmony between Jewish and Greek culture.
While Aristeas presents himself as a Greek official, the work's focus on Jewish religious and legal traditions suggests it was written by a Jewish author seeking to promote the value of Jewish scripture to a Hellenistic audience. The pseudonym serves to lend credibility to the narrative while obscuring the true identity of the writer.