This week the aim is to focus on the contact between differing religions. The Maccabean struggle and the history of Judaism under the Seleucids provides an excellent study in the contrasting ways in which this contact can be made.
Under Alexander, the Ptolemies, and Antiochus III a modus vivendi was created in which both cultures interacted without serious conflict. This state was interrupted during the reign of Antiochus IV, but returned after the conclusion of the Maccabean war.
To understand both of these problems it is worth examining the problems with the interaction between Hellenistic Religion (Hellenism) and Judaism.
The readings for this week are on the Moodle page in this section.
As a focus, please examine the differing ways in which Hellenism impacted Judaism bearing in mind the question of whether the conflict was inevitable or created out of non-religious circumstances.