German Egyptologist Jan Assmann on the Maccabees, Monotheism, and Violence
In the last IPR/EWCJS lecture in this year’s series, which took place on April 4, the renowned Egyptologist Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. (mult.) Jan Assman (Heidelberg/Konstanz), spoke on “Politics, Religion, and Violence in the Maccabean Wars.”
Professor Jan Assmann taught Egyptology at Heidelberg University from 1992 till 2003 and has been Honorary Professor of Cultural and Religious Studies at Constance University since 2005. His wide ranging work explores ancient Egyptian religion, literature and history, cultural theory and memory, the reception of Egypt in Europe and historical anthropology. He has taught as visiting professor in Paris, Jerusalem and several American universities including Rice, Yale and Chicago. His books in English include Moses the Egyptian (1997), The Search for God in Ancient Egypt (2002), Death and Salvation in Ancient Egypt (2006) and The Price of Monotheism (2009).
The respondent was Prof. Martin Kavka (FSU).