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Iosif AmusinSoviet historian, Hebraist, Qumran scholar, papyrologist, Doctor of Historical Sciences
Date of Birth: 29.11.1910
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Content:
- The Early Life of Israel Amusin
- Arrests and Imprisonment
- Education and Career
- Academic Positions
- Research Interests
- Scholarly Contributions
- Numerous articles on ancient Greek and Roman history.
The Early Life of Israel Amusin
Israel Amusin was born on November 27, 1909, in the city of Petrograd, Russia (now Saint Petersburg). His father, David Amusin, was a fur sorter, and his mother, Emma Shpitz, was a homemaker. Amusin's early life was marked by political upheaval and persecution.
Arrests and Imprisonment
In 1928, Amusin was arrested and convicted for his involvement in a youth Zionist group. He was sentenced to three years in prison but was released after serving only one year. In 1938, he was arrested again and held in prison until 1939.
Education and Career
Despite the setbacks in his life, Amusin pursued his education with determination. He enrolled in the history department of Leningrad University in 1934 and graduated in 1941. After his second arrest, Amusin resumed his studies in 1949 and earned a doctoral degree in historical sciences in 1965.
Academic Positions
Amusin began his academic career as a lecturer at the Leningrad Pedagogical Institute. After his dismissal during the "anti-cosmopolitan" campaign, he taught at Ulyanovsk Pedagogical Institute from 1950 to 1954. Upon his return to Leningrad, he worked as a research associate at the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of Archaeology and later at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Research Interests
Amusin's research interests centered around the Dead Sea Scrolls and the history of ancient Greece and Rome. He published extensively on the Kumran texts and the relationship between the Qumran community and early Christianity. Amusin challenged the mythological school of thought and argued for the historicity of Jesus Christ.
Scholarly Contributions
Amusin's contributions to scholarship include:Over 100 publications on the Dead Sea Scrolls, including "Texts of Qumran," Volume 1 (Moscow, 1971) and "The Qumran Community" (Moscow, 1983).
Numerous articles on ancient Greek and Roman history.
Personal LifeAmusin married the historian Liya Gluskina, and together they had two children. He passed away on November 15, 1996, at the age of 86.
