Izzy´s eBook Library - Megillat Taanit as a source for Jewish chronology and history in the Hellenistic and Roman periods by Solomon Zeitlin

Megillat Taanit as a source for Jewish chronology and history in the Hellenistic and Roman periods
Author: Zeitlin, Solomon, 1886-1976
Subject: Megillat Ta'anit; Jews -- History
Publisher: Philadelphia [Printed in England at the Oxford University Press]
Year: 1922
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Call number: ABI-3180
Digitizing sponsor: MSN
Book contributor: Robarts - University of Toronto
Source: Archive.org

This book has an editable web page on Open Library.

The main sources of the history of the Second Commonwealth are: the first and second books of Maccabees, Josephus' Works, and the Tannaitic Literature.

In dealing with the Tannaitic Literature one ought not to lose sight of the fact that it has reached us through the medium of the Amoraim, who at times incorporated in the Tannaitic texts their own interpretations. The relative historical values of first and second Maccabees is a much disputed question. The crucial point in this controversy is, Which of these two books is more exact in its chronological dates ? Some scholars believe that they have found the chronology of first Maccabees in agreement with what is known to us from reliable Greek historians, and hence decide in its favour against second Maccabees; while others take the opposite view. Similarly scholars have questioned many a statement by Josephus on account of the discrepancy between him and the Greco-Roman historians with regard to the chronology.

With the help of the Megillat Taanit I trust that I have shown the identity of the dates given in first and second Maccabees and in Josephus, and thereby have removed all discrepancy, thus reinvesting their statements with historical significance and authority.

(from the preface)