Full Description
This volume honours the life and scholarship of James K. Aitken (1968-2023), a distinguished scholar of Hebrew and Early Jewish Studies at the University of Cambridge. Bringing together fourteen original essays by colleagues, students, and friends, the collection explores themes central to Aitken's work. Contributors examine the interplay between language and identity in ancient Jewish communities, with particular attention to the Septuagint and its place within the history of Greek.
Aitken's intellectual legacy is reflected in the breadth of topics covered, from lexical studies and syntactic analysis to sociolinguistic phenomena and historical context. The essays build on his pioneering research and continue conversations he began, offering fresh insights into the lived realities of Jews in the Hellenistic world.
More than a scholarly tribute, this volume is a testament to Aitken's collegial spirit and mentorship. The editors—William A. Ross, Marieke Dhont, and Christopher Fresch—were all shaped by his guidance and friendship, and have curated a collection that reflects both his academic influence and personal impact. With contributions from leading international scholars, this book stands as a fitting memorial to a beloved teacher, collaborator, and friend.
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Publisher's Note
Dominic Mattos
Abbreviations and Sigla
James K. Aitken Publications
Prof. James K. Aitken: A Brief Biography
Simon Gathercole
Introduction
Marieke Dhont, William A. Ross, and Christopher J. Fresch
Light from East Anglia: Tracing the Influences of the Cambridge School of Septuagint Scholarship
William A. Ross
The Poetics of Symmachos
Nicholas de Lange
On the Language of the Septuagint and Other Matters: A Conversation with Jim Aitken
Benjamin G. Wright III
"(John) Joseph": A Fifth-Century Greek Translator of Jeremiah
Alison G. Salvesen
Was There a Jewish Literary Tradition in Greek After the First Century CE?
James Carleton Paget
The Septuagint Psalms Translator's Treatment of the Hebrew Verb: Preliminary Findings
John A. L. Lee
Innovation in the Tiberian Reading Tradition of the Hebrew Bible
Geoffrey Khan
Lexical and Stylistic Aspects of the Greek Prologue to Sirach
Jeremy Corley
Horn Vocabulary and the Revision of Old Greek Judges
William A. Ross
Diathesis, Greek Idiom, and Freedom of Choice
Christopher J. Fresch
Jewish Burial Practices in the Hellenistic, Roman, and Early Byzantine Balkans and the Aegean
Alexander Panayotov
Verbal Periphrasis with ????? in Postclassical Greek
Marieke Dhont
List of Contributors
Indices
