Expressions of Diasporic Identity: Transcultural Language in Jewish-Greek Inscriptions

Abstract

The diasporic Jewish experience is characterized by the dynamics of acculturation and enculturation, a twofold process entailing a degree of integration into the majority culture and at the same time a strong retention of the Jewish identity. The primary purpose of my thesis is to demonstrate how diasporic Jewish communities in the Graeco-Roman world adapted to different contexts in which they were the minority, while cultivating their identity within these contexts and making it accessible and receptive for non-Jews. To achieve this, I explore how transcultural language in Greek inscriptions expresses the Jewish identity in a manner fitting both the boundaries of Judaism and the larger societal framework of the Graeco-Roman world. By transcultural language, I refer to cross-culturally shared vocabulary that occurs in situations of cultural negotiation between diasporic Jews and their host culture. My thesis consists of two independent case studies which explore inscriptions from the Bosporus Kingdom and Asia Minor. In each case study I conduct an analytical investigation of transcultural terms - first within the term’s own functional capacity, then in reference to other relevant terms within the inscription. I then contextualize each term within a cultural and religious setting: a) Graeco-Roman society; b) Jewish theology; and c) outside of the Jewish-Greek dichotomy. In each circumstance the findings demonstrate a unique materialization of the diasporic Jewish experience. My research thereby contributes significantly to the growing scholarly focus on how cross-cultural interactions enriched ancient Jewish identity.