<italic>The Boundaries of Jewishness in the Southern Levant 200 BCE–132 CE: Power, Strategies, and Ethnic Configurations</italic>, by John Van Maaren.

&quot;The Boundaries of Jewishness in the Southern Levant 200 BCE–132 CE: Power, Strategies, and Ethnic Configurations&quot; by John Van Maaren is a book that explores how Jewishness was constructed and defined during the Seleucid, Hasmonean, and early Roman periods. The author emphasizes the flexibility of ethnicity and how ethnic boundaries can be both stable and porous. The book analyzes specific periods within a defined geographical area and examines the impact of political and social factors on the formation of ethnic boundaries. Chapter 4 focuses on the Roman era and discusses various texts that attempt to position Israel above their Roman rulers. The book provides valuable insights into the processes of ethnic negotiation and contributes to a better understanding of ancient Jewishness and ethnicity, although it has some inconsistencies in its treatment of certain terms and categories. [Extracted from the article]