Beginning in the year 711 and continuing for nearly a thousand years; the Islamic presence survived in Spain; at times flourishing; and at other times dwindling into warring fiefdoms. But the culture and science thereby brought to Spain; including long-buried knowledge from Greece; largely forgotten during Europe’s Dark Ages; was to have an enduring impact on the country as it emerged into the modern era. In this gracefully written history; Richard Fletcher reveals the Moorish culture in all its fascinating disparity and gives us history at its best: here is vivid storytelling by a renowned scholar.
#1878444 in Books 2002-02-13 2002-02-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .91 x 5.75l; 1.08 #File Name: 0520235061355 pages
Review
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An encyclopedia on the subjectBy HennenbergThis is a very important survey of the cultural creations of the Jews living in the Ptolemaic and Roman empire. It is a very balanced exposition of what remains a minority living in a world civilisation; could do and would do to keep its group identity. The discussion in the greek of the Ancient Testament does not kill interest on all the rest. As such; there are important parallelims to be drawn with our own time and it is very clear that the author has them in mind.13 of 14 people found the following review helpful. An Interesting Look At Hellenistic JewsBy Timothy DougalGruen's 'Heritage and Hellenism' provided a limited; but informative; overview of Jewish literature from the Hellenistic period; focusing on works with historical intent. He opens with an analysis of I II Maccabees; to see that the Hasmoneans were not opposed to Hellenism per se; but that they in fact utilized Hellenism to further Jewish ends. Gruen goes on to examine the creative adaptations of Biblical materials by Jews to help place them in the context of Hellenistic society and thought; emphasizing their antiquity and superiority in that world. Other materials discussed are from Josephus; and the Jewish Pseudepigrapha; often little-known fragments of historical lore; Greek additions to Daniel and Esther; and the Third Sybilline Oracle. Gruen looks insightfully at his sources; wonders how they were intended and who they were for. He finds elements of satire; humor; consolation; and exhortation in these remote works. Many of the footnotes are in Greek; but can be looked up in translations by chapter and verse numbers. In a few places Greek is used in the text; but this should not dissuade the general reader. Overall; the book is very readable; fair-minded; and potentially helpful to anyone wishing to understand the Judaism of this period in history.10 of 12 people found the following review helpful. A Different Way of SeeingBy David E. BlairErich Gruen a Classicist and historian of the Roman Republic and Empire has gone somewhat far afield here to review the Greek language literature authored by Jews during the Hellenistic period. Literary criticism of the traditional nature is the chosen vehicle for his investigation. The text and what it says is Gruen's predominate concern. Only after such an analysis has been employed; and its gleanings well explicated is the author willing to deal with other concerns. By so doing; he arrives at a number of conclusions or lack of conlusions somewhat unique among scholars who have appraised these works.He does not see the tension between Jews and Hellenism often highlighted by others. With rare exception he finds Jews accepting Greek authority while asserting Jewish superiority and precedence. No particular "setz in leben" is found for much of the literature. It may have been generated in the diaspora or Isreal. And; it is proposed that it really does not matter. Furthermore; Gruen finds that most of the works do not have any assertainable specific intent with regard to individual historical occurences. The primary function of this literature is the maintenance of group cohesion and superiority while accomodating or co-opting both Hellenistic culture and accomplishment.Gruen finds amazing liberties taken in the adaptation of both the Biblical and non Biblical corpus to the advance this project. Broad humor is often present and much of it at the expense of the Greek dynasts of the period. From Macabees 1 to the Jewish Sybilline Oracles; most everything is covered. While short of proposing any earth shaking historical revisions; this book should serve as tempering corrective to much previous scholarship on the topic. Any future account of Jewish reponses to Hellenism that disregard this study do so at their own peril.
