The Greeks in Bactria and India c12.87

c12.87

vinced to the contrary by Dr E. Bickermann’s attempt to fix the date between 145 and 127 B.C.¹ For the purposes of this Excursus I take the date as c. 100 B.C., though all that I really need at this stage is the certain fact that Pseudo-Aristeas wrote much later than the reign of Ptolemy II. For it has then to be asked why the Jewish author should have chosen as his protagonist Ptolemy II, a king long dead and done with; and perhaps if we can answer that question we shall know why the Buddhist author chose Menander.