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Re: response to D.J. Kaufman
Friends,
The best place to look for the basic information on Leontopolis is S.
Steckoll's article "The Qumran sect in relation to the temple at Leontopolis"
in Revue de Qumran 6:55-69 F 1967. He adds a few interpretations, some of
which are more questionable than others, but does present the basic
information quite well. Another good place to find the basic information is
F. Parente's article in his book with J. Sievers. The book is called Josephus
and the History of the Greco-Roman Period. It was printed by EJ Brill, New
York, in 1994. Look at pages 76ff. Also look at Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civ.
and the Jews, p.276ff.
Essentially the temple was built at a place called Leontopolis in the
"district of Onias" or "Onias' Land". It was constructed by Onias IV circa
150 BCE. Josephus says that the area was called Heliopolis. Josephus tells us
that the temple was destroyed by Rome in 74 CE if my mind serves me. I
believe that the citation may be found around War VII 420 or a bit later, but
not having the text with me, I can't check it.
I do not believe that Philo even mentions the temple at all.
Just a few thoughts,
-David Jay Kaufman
HUC-JIR Jerusalem
Rabbinical Student