Epiphanius as a Hebraist: A Study of the Hebrew Learning of Epiphanius of Salamis

Hebrew learning was rare among Christians in antiquity. When Hebrew scholarship did appear among Christians, it was usually of a poor quality. Since there were no Hebrew grammars or dictionaries at their disposal, Christian scholars struggled to attain even the basics of the Hebrew language. The aim of this study is to confirm that Epiphanius of Salamis (ca. 315-ca. 403) was one of the few Christian scholars of antiquity who attained a grasp of the Hebrew language that was more than rudimentary. Since they often neglected to analyze Epiphanius’ scholarship through the lenses of Late Antiquity, earlier researchers did not always recognize Epiphanius’ attainments in Hebrew. In my analysis of Epiphanius’ Hebrew scholarship, I duly recognize the challenges that learning Hebrew must have presented to both Christian and Jewish scholars in Late Antiquity. I conclude that although Epiphanius’ Hebrew scholarship was far from perfect, it compared favorably to that which preceded it.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD