Elements of ancient Jewish nationalism

by David M. Goodblatt

David Goodblatt argues that nationalism can be found in the ancient world, contrary to the widespread view that it is a modern phenomenon. He argues that concepts of nationalism compatible with contemporary social scientific theories can be documented in the ancient sources from the Mediterranean Rim by the middle of the last millennium B.C.E. In particular, the collective identity asserted by the Jews in antiquity fits contemporary definitions of nationalism.