Lester L. Grabbe is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism at the University of Hull. He is founder and convenor of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology. A recent book is Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know it? Oded Lipschits is Associate Professor of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. Publications include The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem: The History of Judah under Babylonian Rule (2005) and (with D. Vanderhooft) Yehud Stamp Impressions: A Corpus of Inscribed Stamp Impressions from the Persian and Hellenistic Periods in Judah (forthcoming).

This volume certainly tackles an intractably difficult and important subject, and some of the chapters shed elements of helpful light.

• ContentsList of ContributorsAbbreviationsPrefaceProgramme of the ConferenceIntroduction, Lester L. GrabbeJudaic National Identity, James K. AitkenGeographical Lists in Ezra and Nehemiah in the Light of Archaeology: Persian or Hellenistic?, Israel FinkelsteinHyparchs, Oikonomoi, and Mafiosi: The Governance of Judah in the Ptolemaic Period, Lester L. GrabbeKing and Temple in 2 Maccabees: The Case for Continuity, Sylvie HonigmanFurther Thoughts on Josephus' Report of Alexander's Campaign to Palestine (AJ XI 304-347), Aryeh KasherThe Introduction of the Greek Language and Culture in the Third Century BCE, according to the Archaeological Evidence in Idumaea, Amos KlonerJerusalem between Two Periods of Greatness: The Size and Status of the City in the Babylonian, Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods, Oded LipschitsThe Samaritans' Transition from the Persian to the Greek Period, Menachem MorThe Alphabet that Never Was: A Possible Egyptian Influence on the Near East, John RayEmpires and Farmers, Eveline Van Der SteenEarly Enochic Tradition and the Restoration of Humanity: The Function and Significance of 1 Enoch 10, Loren Stuckenbruck'Hellenistic Foundations' in Palestine, Oren TalWill the Greek Texts Stand Up, Please, Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Lester L. Grabbe is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism at the University of Hull. He is founder and convenor of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology. A recent book is Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know it? Oded Lipschits is Associate Professor of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. Publications include The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem: The History of Judah under Babylonian Rule (2005) and (with D. Vanderhooft) Yehud Stamp Impressions: A Corpus of Inscribed Stamp Impressions from the Persian and Hellenistic Periods in Judah (forthcoming).

This volume certainly tackles an intractably difficult and important subject, and some of the chapters shed elements of helpful light.

• ContentsList of ContributorsAbbreviationsPrefaceProgramme of the ConferenceIntroduction, Lester L. GrabbeJudaic National Identity, James K. AitkenGeographical Lists in Ezra and Nehemiah in the Light of Archaeology: Persian or Hellenistic?, Israel FinkelsteinHyparchs, Oikonomoi, and Mafiosi: The Governance of Judah in the Ptolemaic Period, Lester L. GrabbeKing and Temple in 2 Maccabees: The Case for Continuity, Sylvie HonigmanFurther Thoughts on Josephus' Report of Alexander's Campaign to Palestine (AJ XI 304-347), Aryeh KasherThe Introduction of the Greek Language and Culture in the Third Century BCE, according to the Archaeological Evidence in Idumaea, Amos KlonerJerusalem between Two Periods of Greatness: The Size and Status of the City in the Babylonian, Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods, Oded LipschitsThe Samaritans' Transition from the Persian to the Greek Period, Menachem MorThe Alphabet that Never Was: A Possible Egyptian Influence on the Near East, John RayEmpires and Farmers, Eveline Van Der SteenEarly Enochic Tradition and the Restoration of Humanity: The Function and Significance of 1 Enoch 10, Loren Stuckenbruck'Hellenistic Foundations' in Palestine, Oren TalWill the Greek Texts Stand Up, Please, Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Lester L. Grabbe is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism at the University of Hull. He is founder and convenor of the European Seminar in Historical Methodology. A recent book is Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know it? Oded Lipschits is Associate Professor of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. Publications include The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem: The History of Judah under Babylonian Rule (2005) and (with D. Vanderhooft) Yehud Stamp Impressions: A Corpus of Inscribed Stamp Impressions from the Persian and Hellenistic Periods in Judah (forthcoming).

This volume certainly tackles an intractably difficult and important subject, and some of the chapters shed elements of helpful light.

• ContentsList of ContributorsAbbreviationsPrefaceProgramme of the ConferenceIntroduction, Lester L. GrabbeJudaic National Identity, James K. AitkenGeographical Lists in Ezra and Nehemiah in the Light of Archaeology: Persian or Hellenistic?, Israel FinkelsteinHyparchs, Oikonomoi, and Mafiosi: The Governance of Judah in the Ptolemaic Period, Lester L. GrabbeKing and Temple in 2 Maccabees: The Case for Continuity, Sylvie HonigmanFurther Thoughts on Josephus' Report of Alexander's Campaign to Palestine (AJ XI 304-347), Aryeh KasherThe Introduction of the Greek Language and Culture in the Third Century BCE, according to the Archaeological Evidence in Idumaea, Amos KlonerJerusalem between Two Periods of Greatness: The Size and Status of the City in the Babylonian, Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods, Oded LipschitsThe Samaritans' Transition from the Persian to the Greek Period, Menachem MorThe Alphabet that Never Was: A Possible Egyptian Influence on the Near East, John RayEmpires and Farmers, Eveline Van Der SteenEarly Enochic Tradition and the Restoration of Humanity: The Function and Significance of 1 Enoch 10, Loren Stuckenbruck'Hellenistic Foundations' in Palestine, Oren TalWill the Greek Texts Stand Up, Please, Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer