Hostility towards the Jews in the ancient Greco-Latin world was generally a literary device or an affectation, prompted by Judaism’s high monotheism, its cultural separation from other people groups,its prophetic traditions and heritage,-an unknown phenomenon at the time,-and its strong sense of divine election.
The pagan perception of Judaism was that this distinctive religion was an atheistic superstition because of its rejection of images and idols. The Jews’ exclusivity was thought to be an evidence of misanthropy, especially as many Jews dissociated themselves from the emerging Christian church .
The Jews were a small, indefensible target for literary and unjustified abuse.
MANETHEO..3rd. century. The Jews are descendants of the Hyksos , a despised ,leprous people, driven out of Egypt with their leader ,-Osarsiph (Moses). They scorned the gods of Egypt and its sacred beasts ad customs.
HECATAEUS OF ABDERA..3rd. century B,C. The Jews study the stars, and are race who hate others and are totally unsociable.
THEOPHRASTUS..3rd. century, B.C. The Jews call on their god,but also worship the stars and animals, and engage in human sacrifice.
AGATHARCHIDES OF CNIDUS..2nd. century, B.C. Jewish religious customs, such as circumcision and sabbath observance are ridiculous
MNASEAS OF PATRAS,,2nd.century, B.C. He alleged that the Jews worship a donkey’s head, a myth developed from the report that a golden head of a donkey was found in their temple.
POSEIDONIUS OF APAMEIA, 2nd.century,B.C. The Jews are said to hate all other races. They were expelled from Egypt because of their leprosy and their hatred of the Egyptian gods.Their exclusiveness is evident in their religious laws, which conflict with humanity and justice. Antiochus punished them by desecrating their temple in 169.B.C.
APOLLONIUS MOLON..1st,century,B.C. The Jews are thought to hate all foreigners, as well as being superstitious, atheists, exclusive,immoral and blots in human society.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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