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Re: orion-list 1Chr 27, 1QM and 11QT on militia
I recently wrote that the 12,000 elite troops in the Royal Guard of 11QT
57.5-11 are based on the 12,000 elite troops in the Seleucid Royal Guard,
composed of 10,000 infantry and 2000 cavalry.
Dierk van der Berg responded:
> That would fit only - but then perfectly - if the elite troops would
> consist of infantry only, i.e. 1,000 foot each tribe.
> But we have a mixed force of 10,000 foot and 2,000 cavalry to divide
through
> twelve tribes. And that brings us to the tremendous result of 833.33...
foot
> and 166.66... cavalry per tribe.
> Likewise it is possible to philosopy that the last two tribes would report
> for service merely cavalry, but that would be somewhat illusory.
The Temple Scroll does not break down the Royal Guard into cavalry and
infantry, thereby avoiding the above dilemma. The concription of 1000 Royal
Guard from each tribe for 12,000 total (like the conscription of 500 cavalry
from each tribe in the War Scroll for 6000 total) appears to have been
totally ideal and theoretical, since as a rule in second temple times Jews of
Judea claimed descent from only Judah, Levi and Benjamin. My opinion is that
(1) the early Maccabean army [before 164 BCE] conceived of a Royal Guard
along Seleucid lines, composed of 12,000 picked troops constantly
accompanying the Maccabees (which has some support in the language of 1 Macc.
2:42; 3:13, though the Maccabean picked troops may not have reached a figure
of 12,000). (2) Having the ready-made conception of a 12,000 soldier Royal
Guard, the author of 11QT could not resist proposing that 1000 soldiers be
recruited from each tribe.
> However, thanks to Russel for his literal rendered passage of Polybius,
> doubtlesly better than Sage's.
> I've already asked myself why the chrysapides vanish into thin air in his
> citation of the passage...
The golden shields do disappear -- as mentioned before, the text is
defective. But golden shields in the Seleucid army are mentioned in other
sources. (These shields were likely wooden shields with golden decoration or
else orichalcum, which has a golden appearance, according to Bar-Kochva.)
Russell Gmirkin
For private reply, e-mail to RGmyrken@aol.com
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