Acknowledgments and Permissions
This monograph is a revised version of my doctoral dissertation that was completed at the University of Groningen in 2020. As a student with a developing interest in Second Temple Judaism and in particular the writings of Flavius Josephus, it was a privilege to work with Steve Mason. Steve’s incredible knowledge of the field has saved me from numerous mistakes, and his patient, rigorous, and visionary guidance has shaped not only this study, but also my disposition as a scholar and a human being. I am also grateful for the continued support of Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta, who allowed me to participate in his scholarly network (especially the International Plutarch Society), and for the questions, comments, and contributions provided by the members of the assessment committee, Honora Chapman, Jan Willem van Henten, and Jacques van Ruiten. Bärry Hartog proved to be an invaluable intellectual sparring partner, offering advice on numerous occasions. David Edwards, George Brooke, Jacqueline Klooster, and Jan Bremmer offered their thoughtful suggestions on various parts of the dissertation or the monograph based on it. My thanks is also extended to the series editors Carsten Hjort Lange and Jesper Majbom Madsen and the Brill team (Mirjam Elbers, Giulia Moriconi, and Dinah Rapliza), for encouraging publication and for their patience and support throughout the publication process, as well as to the anonymous peer reviewers. A modified version of parts of chapters 3 and 5 has been published as in the Journal for the Study of Judaism (Glas 2021), and has benefited from feedback in the review process there. I thank Forrest Kentwell for their diligent proofreading of the entire manuscript. Any remaining errors are, of course, my own.
The Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Groningen has been an inspiring place to work, and I am immensely grateful to all of my teachers there (and elsewhere, especially in Leiden and Oxford), the supportive staff, and everyone else directly or indirectly involved. My enthusiasm for the field of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism was fuelled first and foremost by Mladen Popović. It is largely because of his passion and his ability to transmit it to his students that I decided to pursue a PhD. It has been a joy to be part of the ‘Qumran Cave’ (with Gemma, Ayhan, Ruwan, Joabson, Drew, Jason, Myles, and Daniel as its esteemed members) and I owe many of my current friendships to my time as a student in Groningen. One of the great benefits of studying and working in Groningen has been the opportunity to participate with the CRASIS community, the interdisciplinary nature of which has shaped my approach and thinking in numerous ways and has led to an equal number of opportunities before and after obtaining my PhD.
Finally, but most importantly, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my family and friends for their constant support, to my parents for giving me the opportunity to study, and above all Michelle, Livia, and Fabian, for constantly reminding me why life is worth living.
Eelco Glas
Groningen, 11 December 2023