Rethinking the origins and architecture of the Temple of Onias

This article revisits the appearance and architectural identity of the Temple of Onias, challenging the assumption that it replicated the Jerusalem Temple. The temple’s history, preserved mainly in Josephus’ contradictory accounts, is obscured by textual inconsistencies and the absence of archaeological evidence. While Josephus alternately claims the Oniad sanctuary resembled and diverged from Jerusalem’s, this study argues that such contradictions reflect his reliance on multiple sources and his later ideological commitment to a ‘one-Temple’ theology privileging Jerusalem. Moving beyond the textual impasse, the article reconsiders Josephus’ remark that Onias built on the ruins of an Egyptian shrine dedicated to the feline deity Bastet, proposing that the temple was a ‘recycled’ sacred space shaped by local architectural traditions, including so-called Egyptian tower houses. Comparative analysis with Ptolemaic temples, especially Hathor’s sanctuary at Deir el-Medina, underscores parallels in layout and construction, situating Onias’ temple within broader Ptolemaic religious and military strategies.