Ezechiel the Tragic Poet (Ἐζεκιὴλ ὁ Τραγικός) was a Hellenistic Jewish author who composed tragedies in Greek. While traditionally placed in the 2nd century CE, scholarly analysis suggests he was active earlier, possibly in the 2nd century BCE [1]. His precise origins are unknown, but his work strongly indicates he was a Hellenized Jew, likely from the cultural center of Alexandria, Egypt [1][2]. His writing reflects an education encompassing both Greek literary tradition and Jewish scripture.

His sole surviving work is the tragedy Exagōgē (Ἐξαγωγή, "The Exodus"), preserved in 269 lines quoted by the Christian author Eusebius of Caesarea [1][2][3]. The play dramatizes the biblical Exodus, adapting the narrative into the formal structure of a Greek tragedy, complete with iambic trimeter, a chorus, and divine characters.

Ezechiel holds significance as the only known Jewish author to compose a Greek tragedy on a biblical subject. The Exagōgē is a key artifact of cultural synthesis, demonstrating how Hellenized Jews appropriated Greek literary models to articulate their religious history [1][2]. It was preserved by early Christian writers like Eusebius for its testimonial value, providing crucial insight into the intercultural dynamics of Hellenistic Judaism [1][3].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Ezekiel the Tragedian): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ezekiel-tragedian/ 2. Perseus Digital Library (Ezekiel, Exagoge): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0026%3Atext%3DExag. 3. Encyclopædia Britannica (Ezekiel the Poet): https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ezekiel-the-Poet