Josephus' Against Apion
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About
Against Apion, written by Josephus near the end of his life (around 95 AD), stands as a sophisticated defense of Jewish culture and history against anti-Semitic allegations.
Unlike his historical works, this apologetic treatise directly confronts critics of Judaism, particularly the Alexandrian grammarian Apion.
The work demonstrates Josephus's extensive knowledge of Greek and Egyptian literature, as he methodically refutes various anti-Jewish claims while presenting Judaism as an ancient and philosophically sound religion. What makes this text particularly valuable is its preservation of numerous quotations from lost works of ancient authors who wrote about the Jews.
While the authenticity of Against Apion is generally accepted, scholars note that some manuscripts show evidence of Christian editing, particularly in passages dealing with monotheism and Greek mythology. The work provides crucial insights into ancient anti-Semitism and the intellectual debates between Hellenistic and Jewish cultures.