“The Vision of Daniel” from the St. Petersburg Genizah

Menahem Ben-Sasson*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article includes translation of a new Vision of Daniel as it survived, albeit incomplete. It reflects a meeting point between three monotheistic religions in the ninth and tenth centuries CE. A comparative study of the work enables the reconstruction of its missing parts. The Vision may have been composed in the area where al-Mutasim battled Theophilos in the 830s CE, namely, northern Syria and southeastern Anatolia. An updated appendix was added around 1000 CE. Towards the end of the Vision, exact times are replaced with flexible times, a moderate expression of the cosmic changes found in similar eschatological works. The two anti-messiahs described, constructed as integrations of Jewish-Christian-Muslim traditions of the apocalyptical devils, reflect the shifting identities of messianic figures, who will reveal themselves once again (Parousia), albeit as demonic antichrists. One of the two is an inversion of the Christian image of Moses/Jesus, whereas the second is Armilus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)331-362
Number of pages32
JournalHarvard Theological Review
Volume115
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
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Keywords

  • Abbasid Caliphs
  • al-Mutasim
  • al-Sufyānī
  • Fatimid Caliphs
  • Jewish Apocrypha
  • the Son of the Daughter of Levi
  • Theophilos
  • Vision of Daniel

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