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Re: orion-list 1Chr 27, 1QM and 11QT on militia
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: <RGmyrken@aol.com>
An: <orion@mscc.huji.ac.il>
Gesendet: Sonntag, 1. August 1999 07:43
Betreff: Re: orion-list 1Chr 27, 1QM and 11QT on militia
Russell writes:
> The Temple Scroll does not break down the Royal Guard into cavalry and
> infantry, thereby avoiding the [mathematical] dilemma.
That is too simple, for we high probably have two different systems both
based upon Alexander's tradition of 'the Guard'. The first depends on the
productivity of 'Macedonian' settlements, whereas the latter merely worships
the twelve-tribes-symbolism. How lucky we are that the settlements had
already reached their maximum productivity when the scroll was written, for
otherwise the priests would have been forced to increase the number of
tribes beyond the known twelve...
The whole story reminds on the question 'what comes first?' The hen or the
egg?
> totally ideal and theoretical, since as a rule in second temple times Jews
of
> Judea claimed descent from only Judah, Levi and Benjamin.
I've thought that the attribute'Son of Benjamin' had a somewhat spongy
touch, at least in 2Macc (e.g. 3.4)
>My opinion is that
> (1) the early Maccabean army [before 164 BCE] conceived of a Royal Guard
> along Seleucid lines, composed of 12,000 picked troops constantly
> accompanying the Maccabees (which has some support in the language of 1
Macc.
> 2:42; 3:13, though the Maccabean picked troops may not have reached a
figure
> of 12,000).
But the early Maccabean army before 164 BCE merely consisted of 'lights' and
hordes of skirmishers using ambush tactics. After the signal of 164 BC - the
Temple cleansing - we assume the first contingents of 'returning' Jewish
phalangites and cavalrymen from Seleucid and Ptolemaic military settlements.
Nevertheless the Maccabean (1:1) picked troops may have reached a figure of
12,000, for the overall strength of the Jewish troops soon reached at least
22,000 (I hope for 2,000 more...).
>(2) Having the ready-made conception of a 12,000 soldier Royal
> Guard, the author of 11QT could not resist proposing that 1000 soldiers be
> recruited from each tribe.
Likewise it is possible that the author of 11QT simply had made a 1:1
selection between the 24,000 foot (of my source thesis; cf. 1 Chr 27) into
'standard' and 'elite' troops - a common known operation in the 'Macedonian'
phalanx of the Seleucid Empire...
Cheers
Dierk
For private reply, e-mail to "Dierk" <haGalil@gmx.net>
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