Thus, Josephus amply demonstrates his assertion that God rewarded Izates’s
commitment to a proper conversion (20.48). The convert Helena’s memory
is forever blessed, too, because of her benefactions (20.53).
To be sure, this lengthy story illustrates many consistent themes of
the narrative: God rewards virtue and punishes wickedness, always main-
taining control of history, in order to spare the righteous, in spite of human
designs. But it is fair to ask whether the Gentile reader should not have
learned somewhat more from this final major episode, namely, that full
conversion to Judaism is a good thing. It frequently arouses the hatred of
one’s fellow nationals, and so it may cause great difficulty for the convert,
but God rewards the faithful. If this is the story’s message, then the royal
house of Adiabene, at the end of Antiquitates judaicae,serves to fulfil the
expectations created at the beginning of the narrative. Following in the
footsteps of Epaphroditus, these persons, too, are persuaded of Judaism’s
beauty, embrace it fully, and are not disappointed. Note, incidentally, that
the story assumes the ubiquity of Judeans who are willing to guide foreign-
ers through conversion. It mentions three such individuals: Ananias, Eleazar,
and the unnamed figure who first coached Helena (A.J. 20.35).
We conclude, therefore, that the scope and the tone of Antiquitates
judaicaeare not adequately explained by an apologetic motive, although
that motive is surely present. Rather, Josephus effectively provides here a
primer in Judean culture for interested Gentiles. He even shows how God
rewards sincere converts. Of course, Josephus does not punctuate each
volume of Antiquitates judaicaewith forthright exhortations to conversion;
the appeal is subtler and operates at various levels. Nevertheless, Jose-
phus’s appeal is unmistakable and, in view of the fact that he wrote this
work in Rome under Domitian’s reign, when Judaizing was particularly haz-
ardous, it seems even courageous.
AIMS OF CONTRA APIONEM
The preface to Contra Apionem(1.1–5) makes it a sequel to Antiquitates
judaicae.The valuable little work is often mined for its quotations of other-
wise lost sources, but seldom read in light of Josephus’s aims, which are
admittedly difficult to understand on most accounts. Had the twenty-vol-
umeAntiquitates judaicaebeen intended, as most critics think, as a defensive
work, yet failed in its apologetic aim, then it is odd that the weary Josephus
(A.J.1.7–8) would continue his exercise in futility by writing another two
volumes on the same theme. Did he really think that he would change the
minds of those who slandered Judean origins, if they remained still not per-
suaded by his twenty-volume history?