BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:PhD defence C. Meijer METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260213T114500 DTEND:20260213T131500 DTSTAMP:20260213T114500 UID:phd-defence-c-meijer@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260924T220906 LOCATION:Main building VU, 1105, Aula, De Boelelaan, 1081 HV, Amsterdam SUMMARY:PhD defence C. Meijer X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Prophecy and Power

Prophecies as political commentary: insight into t he role of future predictions in the Hellenistic Near East
Ancient predictions of the future are often read as religious o r mystical texts. Research by historian of antiquity Cindy Meijer sho ws, however, that they also had a clear political function. By re-exa mining prophetic texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Judea, her study reveals how closely visions of the future were intertwined with power , kingship, and political crisis in the Hellenistic Near East.
Predicting in times of crisis
Meijer’s resea rch focuses on three texts that describe the future, each originating from a different region. Although they differ in language and contex t, they share striking similarities. All three show a strong interest in political events, such as international conflicts and the success ion of rulers. The central question was whether this political focus was coincidental, or whether political circumstances also played a ro le in the creation of these texts.
“My conclusion is that pol itical crises directly prompted the writing of these prophecies. The texts reflect periods of instability and uncertainty and articulate e xpectations of an ideal ruler who would restore order and justice. Pr ophecy thus functioned as a way to interpret contemporary political t ensions and to offer hope for change,” Meijer explains.
Daniel and Babylon: more closely connected than previously thought
A key finding of the research is a reassessment of th e relationship between the biblical text Daniel 11 and the Babylonian Dynasties Prophecy. Where earlier scholarship mainly pointe d to general similarities, Meijer demonstrates that the parallels are so specific that they indicate direct literary influence. This sugge sts that the author of Daniel 11 drew inspiration from existing Mesop otamian prophetic traditions.
This leads to the identification of a broader literary genre in which “prophecies after the fact”� ��descriptions of events that had already occurred—are combined wit h a genuine expectation of the future: the arrival of a savior king. The Dynasties Prophecy emerges as a key example of this genr e, and Daniel 11 fits convincingly within it.
Between G reek influence and local identity
Meijer’s research also sheds light on a tension that feels surprisingly contemporary: t he tension between foreign cultural influence and local identity. In some texts, such as the Egyptian Potter’s Oracle, Greek an d Hellenized inhabitants of Alexandria are sharply criticized. At the same time, the text is written in Greek and shows clear influences f rom Greek historiography.
This combination of rejection and app ropriation of a dominant culture illustrates how societies negotiate power and identity in times of change. The study shows that this is n ot a modern phenomenon, but one that already existed in antiquity—a n insight that is also relevant to present-day debates on globalizati on, cultural influence, and resistance to it.
Ancient t exts, new insights
By reading prophetic literature not only through a religious lens but also as political texts, Meijer’ s research offers a fresh perspective on well-known sources. It demon strates how predictions of the future were used as social tools to ma ke sense of crisis, express criticism, and articulate hope. In doing so, the study underscores the enduring value of ancient texts for und erstanding political and cultural dynamics, both past and present.
More information on the thesis
DESCRIPTION: Prophecy and Power

Prophecies as political co mmentary: insight into the role of future predictions in the Hellenis tic Near East

Ancient predictions of the future are ofte n read as religious or mystical texts. Research by historian of antiq uity Cindy Meijer shows, however, that they also had a clear politica l function. By re-examining prophetic texts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Judea, her study reveals how closely visions of the future were i ntertwined with power, kingship, and political crisis in the Hellenis tic Near East.Predicting in times of crisisMeijer’ s research focuses on three texts that describe the future, each orig inating from a different region. Although they differ in language and context, they share striking similarities. All three show a strong i nterest in political events, such as international conflicts and the succession of rulers. The central question was whether this political focus was coincidental, or whether political circumstances also play ed a role in the creation of these texts.“My conclusion is that pol itical crises directly prompted the writing of these prophecies. The texts reflect periods of instability and uncertainty and articulate e xpectations of an ideal ruler who would restore order and justice. Pr ophecy thus functioned as a way to interpret contemporary political t ensions and to offer hope for change,” Meijer explains.Dani el and Babylon: more closely connected than previously thoughtA key finding of the research is a reassessment of the relationship between the biblical text Daniel 11 and the Babylonian Dynasties Prophecy. Where earlier scholarship mainly pointed to general s imilarities, Meijer demonstrates that the parallels are so specific t hat they indicate direct literary influence. This suggests that the a uthor of Daniel 11 drew inspiration from existing Mesopotamian prophe tic traditions.This leads to the identification of a broader literary genre in which “prophecies after the fact”—descriptions of eve nts that had already occurred—are combined with a genuine expectati on of the future: the arrival of a savior king. The Dynasties Pro phecy emerges as a key example of this genre, and Daniel 11 fits convincingly within it.Between Greek influence and local ide ntityMeijer’s research also sheds light on a tension that feels surprisingly contemporary: the tension between foreign cultural influence and local identity. In some texts, such as the Egyptian Potter’s Oracle, Greek and Hellenized inhabitants of Alexand ria are sharply criticized. At the same time, the text is written in Greek and shows clear influences from Greek historiography.This combi nation of rejection and appropriation of a dominant culture illustrat es how societies negotiate power and identity in times of change. The study shows that this is not a modern phenomenon, but one that alrea dy existed in antiquity—an insight that is also relevant to present -day debates on globalization, cultural influence, and resistance to it.Ancient texts, new insightsBy reading prophetic l iterature not only through a religious lens but also as political tex ts, Meijer’s research offers a fresh perspective on well-known sour ces. It demonstrates how predictions of the future were used as socia l tools to make sense of crisis, express criticism, and articulate ho pe. In doing so, the study underscores the enduring value of ancient texts for understanding political and cultural dynamics, both past an d present.More information on the thesis END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR