The Representation of Nicolaus of Damascus in Josephus’ Judaean Antiquities

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/5999n361k

Abstract

The topic of this thesis is the representation of the Hellenistic political figure and (now fragmentary) historian Nicolaus of Damascus in Josephus' first century CE Judaean Antiquities. The argument demonstrates that the distinction between Josephus' representations of Nicolaus as historian, on the the one hand, and as historical actor, on the other, is primarily one to made in terms of how Josephus engages with each and the claims implicit in his engagement. Josephus' representation of Nicolaus is ultimately unified, however, for he characterizes both the actor and the historian similarly and uses both in the service of his authorial aims. Both representations are determined by the strategies with which Josephus pursues his rhetorical aims and strategies in the AJ. This complicates the possibility of access to Nicolaus' historical writings via the AJ, despite the prevailing scholarly account of the AJ as a direct source on Nicolaus.

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