Under the Influence: Hellenism in Ancient Jewish Life

Two mosaics are cited as evidence of the persistent influence of Hellenism on Jewish culture in the late-antique period, and in both cases that influence was assimilated to Jewish tradition. The oft-cited zodiac mosaic of 6th-c. date from the synagogue at Beth Alpha, with an image of Helios riding a chariot in the center, is interpreted as perhaps linking Helios symbolically with the Jewish God Yahweh. Moreover, the signs of the zodiac surrounding the central figure all have their names inscribed in Hebrew. This is in contrast to another mosaic with a dedication written in Greek from the 4th-c. synagogue at Hammat Tiberias, which attests to the continued use of the Greek language among some Jewish communities in Late Antiquity. At the same time, the presence of confronted lions at the sides of the latter inscription refers to the Biblical tribe of Judah. According to the author, the blending of Jewish and Hellenizing elements in Late Antiquity takes many varied forms.