Antisemitismus in der Antike
Kontinuitäten und Brüche eines historischen Phänomens
Description:... Examines diverse forms of anti-Judaism which were present in the ancient period, focusing on theories of different researchers. States that ancient anti-Judaism included basic elements of what developed later as modern antisemitism. The traditional conceptual distinction between ancient and medieval anti-Judaism on the one hand, and modern antisemitism on the other, cannot be upheld since the stock of motifs of anti-Jewish stereotypes are not limited to one historical period. Proposes the term "hostility toward Jews" as a conceivable alternative, as it is not involved in the emotional debate concerning antisemitism, and thus does not disguise the true causes of ancient anti-Judaism. Argues that anti-Jewish motifs in Tacitus's doctrine crucially influenced modern anti-Jewish thinking, e.g. stereotypes like the greed and influence of Jews, Jewish sexuality and lust, and the perversity of circumcision. Like Tacitus's comprehension of Judaism, the conceptual construct of modern antisemites perceives Jews, in their essence, as a counter to positive humanity.
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