Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Flavius Josephus

Dialoguing through Proems

Bibliographic Data

ID21819362
AuthorsIvan Matijašić (0000-0002-5932-3774, University of Messina, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume17
Issue2
Pages233-249
Publication date2025-10-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTrends in Classics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1866-7473 • E-ISSN: 1866-7481
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/tc-2025-0013
OpenAlexW4415351194
LanguageEN
References cited38

This article discusses the possibility that Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ Roman Antiquities were Flavius Josephus’ direct model for his Jewish Antiquities , a theory that has faced both support and criticism. Following König and Wiater’s framework of literary dialogue, this study identifies various layers of interaction, from biographical and paratextual elements to lexical and conceptual similarities. Josephus’ Jewish War is also considered: while in this case his main models were historians like Thucydides and Polybius, his use of Dionysius can also be identified through a close reading of Josephus’ proem. Both authors shared a similar standpoint towards Rome and its empire, not least because of their personal experiences. Despite their different perspectives, both used antiquarianism as a political instrument for their respective historiographical agendas. Josephus’ numerous references to Dionysius indicate him as a significant, though unacknowledged, model

Historiography · History of literature · Phraseology · Politics · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies

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