A history of Jews in Greek gymnasia from the Hellenistic period through the late Roman period

This thesis will look at the relationship between Greeks and Jews during the Hellenistic period, focusing primarily on the building of a gymnasium in Jerusalem under the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. After an introduction to the period, this thesis will first address at the main tenets of Second Temple Judaism. Second, it will address Greek education and education within the Ancient Near East. Third, it will address the main issues in scholarship concerning the gymnasium at Jerusalem. Finally, it will end with a discussion of the legacy of the gymnasium and the lasting effects of gymnastic culture within late Roman-era Judaism. The main primary texts addressed will be 1 and 2 Maccabees, Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, and CPJ 3.519.