What is it about?
Focusing upon Queen Shelamzion Alexandra, the only legitimate independent Jewish queen, this paper compares and contrasts her reign with that of Hellenistic queens from before and after her era. It shows how her inheritance of the throne and wielding of political authority is unique although it does follow a Hellenistic tradition of powerful regent queens.
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Perspectives
This field of study is important since the legacy of Antiquity is embedded in our present-day thought processes. A new reading of the lives and actions of royal women impacts upon our current perceptions of women leaders. Thus, the fact that today women fulfill leadership roles can be seen not only as a modern innovation but rather as a continuation of an ancient tradition of female sovereign rulers.
Etka Liebowitz
Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Female Monarchal Succession in Hellenistic and Jewish Society in Antiquity: Parallels and Contrasts, Journal for the Study of Judaism, February 2018, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/15700631-12491198.
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