Ptolemy IX Soter and Jews: to one passage by Flavius Josephus (Ios., Ant. Iud. III. 12. 6)

The author begins with an unusual episode described by Flavius Josephus: during the so-called War of the Sceptres (103-101 B. C.) Egyptian king Ptolemy IX (116-107, 88-80 B. C.) ordered to his army to kill many civilians and to throw the parts of their bodies into coppers (Ios., Ant. Iud. III. 12. 6). The historicity of the act as well as the motivation of it are debated. The author points out, that either the massacre itself or a king’s reputation of an anti-Semite could make this episode come to Josephus’ work. So, it would be fruitful to try to find in the sources any traces of anti-Jewish sentiments of this king. In dynastic struggles, Jews supported his rivals (just as it was with his father Ptolemy VIII). Some political events are also well explained concerning possible anti-Semitism of the king. In 115 B. C. he visited the temple of Khnum on Elephantine. It is possible that a developed anti-Jewish tradition was popular there since the time of bitter clashes with the Jewish colonists in the end of 5th century B. C. Being interested in finding adherents because of his very unstable political position, Ptolemy IX should have been very attentive to the sentiments of the priesthood. So, it could be in Elephantine where he learnt that anti-Semitism is popular among the Egyptian elite. Coinciding with his current needs it would become a considerable part of his political course. So anti-Jewish sentiment would be not only possible, but even expected for Ptolemy IX. Also so-called Potter’s Oracle has some passages that pass well to the political situation of that period - maybe, it was even composed or reedited for the sake of king’s propaganda. One of its versions is quite anti-Jewish. Concerning a relatively unusual popularity of the text the author suggests a deliberate distribution. So, the first anti-Jewish campaign in the world history is possible to be seen here. Of considerable importance is the fact that it is the beginning of the 1st century B. C. when anti-Semitism in Egypt went beyond the scholarly discussions and was on the way to a popular ideology. If the proposed anti-Jewish political course of Ptolemy IX is truth, one could see in this king a person whose role in the history of anti-Semitism is still underestimated.