Book contents
- Leadership in the Ancient World
- Antiquity in Global Context
- Leadership in the Ancient World
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Leadership in Third-Millennium Mesopotamia
- Chapter 2 Leadership in Rural Pharaonic Egypt
- Chapter 3 The Importance of Religion in Achaemenid Leadership
- Chapter 4 Leadership in Ancient China
- Chapter 5 Public Generosity and Models of Leadership in Classical Athens
- Chapter 6 Divine Kingship as Reflected in Deuterocanonical Literature
- Chapter 7 Cicero, Octavian and the Failure of Republican Leadership
- Chapter 8 Ciceronian Aspects of Leadership in Livy’s Ab Vrbe Condita
- Chapter 9 Imperial and Episcopal Leadership Networks in the Later Roman Empire
- Chapter 10 Concluding Remarks
- General Index
- References
Chapter 6 - Divine Kingship as Reflected in Deuterocanonical Literature
A Challenge for Jewish Thought in the Hellenistic Period
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 September 2025
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Edited by
Book contents
- Leadership in the Ancient World
- Antiquity in Global Context
- Leadership in the Ancient World
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Leadership in Third-Millennium Mesopotamia
- Chapter 2 Leadership in Rural Pharaonic Egypt
- Chapter 3 The Importance of Religion in Achaemenid Leadership
- Chapter 4 Leadership in Ancient China
- Chapter 5 Public Generosity and Models of Leadership in Classical Athens
- Chapter 6 Divine Kingship as Reflected in Deuterocanonical Literature
- Chapter 7 Cicero, Octavian and the Failure of Republican Leadership
- Chapter 8 Ciceronian Aspects of Leadership in Livy’s Ab Vrbe Condita
- Chapter 9 Imperial and Episcopal Leadership Networks in the Later Roman Empire
- Chapter 10 Concluding Remarks
- General Index
- References
Summary
As is commonly known, both Ptolemaic and Seleucid rulers in the wake of Alexander the Great claimed divine worship. This phenomenon was also reflected in ancient Jewish literature. In the first part, this chapter aims at describing the time of Antiochus IV (175–164 bc) as the historical framework in which a specific confrontation with the Hellenistic ruler ideology is evident. In the second part, the chapter uses 2 Macc 9 (‘the death of Antiochus IV’) and the Book of Judith as examples as to how selected deuterocanonical writings (e.g. 2 Maccabees and Judith) have dealt with the encounter with the Hellenic ruler cult in a narrative discourse. Both cases demonstrate God’s help and power, which becomes obvious through the cruel death of the ruler who claimed for himself divinity.
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- Leadership in the Ancient WorldConcepts, Models, Theories, pp. 133 - 152Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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