The Link Between The Spartans and Hebrews

Sparta

In the first Book of Maccabees1 we read about a correspondence between

Jonathan the high priest in Israel and the people of Sparta, and the context is
as follows: "Jonathan, the High Priest, the council of the nation, the priests
and the rest of the Jewish people to their Spartan BROTHERS, greetings!
Even before this, a letter was sent to Onias the High Priest from Areius who
was then king among you, to the effect that you are OUR KINSMEN,2
as the copy herewith submitted sets forth. Onias received the man who
was sent honorably, and accepted the letter in which declaration was made
about alliance and friendship. Although we are not in need of these pledges,
since we find encouragement in the holy books which we possess, we have
undertaken to send to you to renew the pact of brotherhood and friendship,
that we may not BECOME ESTRANGED from you; for much time has
gone by since you sent word to us, So we remember you at every opportunity
incessantly ON THE FESTIVALS and at other appropriate days, IN THE
SACRIFICES which we offer and IN OUR PRAYERS, as it is right and
fitting to recall OUR KINSMEN" (my emphasisN. G.)
In this letter the Spartans are named kinsmen (brothers in the Hebrew
translation). Perhaps this is only a manner of speech, but the astonishing
facts in this letter are that Areius king of Sparta initially sent a letter to Onias
the priest, and "although we are not in need of these pledges... we have
undertaken to send to you...that we may not become estranged from you..."
and "we remember you at every opportunity incessantly on the festivals and
other appropriate days, in the sacrifices which we offer and in our prayers, as
it is right and fitting to recall our kinsmen". What have festivals, sacrifices,
and prayers to do with all this and what does estrangement mean in this
context, if all that is at issue here is a pact? It is even more strange when
reference is made to letters sent in bygone days, in the period of Areius
and Onias and "Much time has gone by since you sent word to us..." etc.
The significance of the text most probably implies much stronger ties than a
simple pact.
The Book of Maccabees includes the letter that Areius King of Sparta sent
1
2
The First Book of Maccabees, 12: 512, English translation by Tedesche, Harper
& Brothers, New York, 1950.
In note no. 7 to this verse the translator writes: "Apparently there was a legend
in the Orient that the Spartans and the Jews were of the same ancestry ".
265

to Onias the priest, and which Jonathan the priest refers to in his letter to
the Spartans.
"This is the copy of the letter which they sent to Onias, Areius King of
Spartans to Onias the High priest greetings! IT HAS BEEN FOUND IN A
DOCUMENT ABOUT THE SPARTANS AND JEWS THAT THEY ARE
RELATED, AND THAT THEY ARE OF THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM3.
SINCE WE HAVE LEARNED THIS will you please write us about your
welfare. We are writing in turn to you that your cattle and property are ours,
and ours are yours. We charge then, therefore, to report this to you."4 (my
emphasisN. G.).
In this letter it is explicitly noted that they are brothers jointly descended
from Abraham, and when this fact was discovered, after it was found in a
document, they wrote this letter. Hence the reason for their writing was
not to suggest the formation of a pact, but to impart the knowledge that
they are brothers (kinsmen) and common descendants of Abraham. The
Spartans' dwelling on the fact they are related to Abraham is thus not just
fanciful phraseology and rhetoric. After all the reference is not to the sons
(descendants) of Adam or Noah names inclusive of the entire human race,
but to the sons of Abraham, that is to a specific ethnic group. Today even
the Jews are called the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore the term
"kinsmen" (brothers) in this letter is to be understood as indicating a blood
relationship between the Jews (Judeans) and Spartans. The indicated kinship
may be inferred from what is written about Jason the High priest who went
"to the Lacedaemonians, with the hope of obtaining shelter there by reason
of their common origin"5. As noted by Herodotus (V, 57 ; I, 56: IV, 147), the
Spartans the Lacedemons were related to the Phoenicians. We may now
also understand the kinship between the Spartans and the Jews as indicated
in the book of Maccabees, since "Phoenicians" is the name given to the entire
nation of Israel
It may be noted here that Neiman6 derives the name Sepharad (the
Hebrew name for Spain) from the name Sparta or Sparda which according to
Strabo was the name of a place near Taraco. In course of time this name came
to embrace the entire peninsula. According to Neiman Sparta Lacedemonia
was also called Sepharad7. Perhaps this will serve to explain the verse in the
book of Obadia: "and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad shall
possess the cities of the south"8. So it is the dispersion of Jerusalem which
3
4
5
6
7
8
266
The translator here refers the reader to note no. 7 above.

The First Book of Maccabees, 12: 1923,
The Book of Maccabees, II 5: 9. The translator notes here: "Apparently there was
a legend that the Lacedaemonians and the Jews were of the same ancestry".
Neiman, Sefarad The Name Of Spain, JNES. 1963, pp. 128132.
Neiman, ibid. p. 132
Obadiah, 1: 20
is in Sparta which "We remember at every opportunity incessantly on the

festivals and at other appropriate days, in the sacrifices which we offer and
in the prayers, as it is right and fitting to recall our kinsmen" (Hebrew reads
"brothers").
Prof. Slouschz pointed to the many similarities in different spheres between
those called Phoenicians and the Israelites. According to him the language
is the same language.9 the culture is the same culture. In his own words:
"From the way in which this (culture)emerges before the Hebrew scholar
out of numerous texts found at Carthage which were interpreted through
Phoenician inscriptions and Israelite literature, Carthaginian civilisation
appears to be purely and simply Hebraic."10 He suggests that the figures of
Samson and Joshua have their origine in the same mythical conceptions as
does the figure of Melkart in Tyre. The Bull is the Emblem of the Israelite
Sun God just as it is of Melkart,11 The social structure was the same. In
Carthage as in Jerusalem there existed a Sanhedrin (a council of 71 elders)12,
In Carthage as in Israel there were Judges (Shofetim) at the head of the
nation. The religious structure was also identical. Moreover even linguistic
changes and periods of linguistic shifts developed at Carthage parallel to
those in Israel13 Any place originally inhabited by Phoenicians later became
inhabited by Jews.
Prof. Slouschz was led to conclude that because of their identical
characteristics the socalled Phoenicians and the Hebrews in the days of the
Judges formed a single ethnic group.14 On the other hand he also interpreted
the biblical verse "Asher lo horish' the inhabitants of Sidon" etc. as meaning
Asher did not conquer these cities. However since the town of Tyre is not
mentioned in the list of towns that Asher did not "lehorish" Prof. Slouschz
concluded15 that Tyre was indeed conquered by the Israelites while Sidon
was not conquered. This inevitably led him to assume that the Israelites and
"Phoenicians" were two different nations and that the many similarities
between them resulted because the two nations belonged to a single ethnic
group, which group was part of the Benei Kedem (children of the East). He
thinks that some of the Hebrews joined with the Phoenicians to form a new
race which he labels"PhoenicianHebrews", with an identical language, script,
religion and a homogeneous culture, this new race of "HebrewPhoenicians"
set out on its travels throughout the Mediterranean and practised commerce
9
10
11
12
13

14
15
Slouschz, La Civilisation Hebraique et Phnicienne A' Carthage

Slouschz, ibid. p. 6.
Slouschz, Hebreo Phniciens et JudeoBerbres, p. 59.
Slouschz, ibid, p. 183. cites Justin. I. 18, 7.
Slouschz, La Civilisation Hebraique et Phnicienne A' Carthage, p. 16.
HebreoPhniciens et JudeoBerbres, p. 180.
Slouschz, ibid. p. 60.
Slouschz, La Civilisation Hebraique et Phnicienne A' Carthage, p. 8.
267
and established colonies. The religion of these HebrewPhoenicians was

primitively Jewish notably different from the Jewish religion after the Exile
(The Ezra period).16
I consider Prof. Slouschz to have been mistaken in his interpretation
of the particular biblical verse by his assuming that the Israelites did not
conquer Sidon; and this led him to the conclusion that the "Phoenicians"
and the "Israelites" were two different nations.
Slouschz is by no means not the only scholar to point to the similarities
between the socalled Phoenicians and the Israelites. Most scholars in fact do
so, as discussed in previous chapters.
16 Slouschz, HebreoPhnicens et JudeoBerbres, pp. 136137, 448

268

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Sparta

In the first Book of Maccabees1 we read about a correspondence between

The translator here refers the reader to note no. 7 above.

is in Sparta which "We remember at every opportunity incessantly on the

Slouschz, La Civilisation Hebraique et Phnicienne A' Carthage

and established colonies. The religion of these HebrewPhoenicians was

16 Slouschz, HebreoPhnicens et JudeoBerbres, pp. 136137, 448

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