Jews, Christians and Polytheists in the Ancient Synagogue: Cultural Interaction during the Greco-Roman Period (Baltimore Studies in the History of Judaism)

252 Pages·1999·3.78 MB·English

by  Steven Fine

JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AND
POLYTHEISTS IN THE ANCIENT
SYNAGOGUE
BALTIMORE STUDIES IN THE HISTORY
OF JUDAISM
Editorial Committee:
Joseph Baumgarten
George Berlin
Steven Fine
Robert O.Freedman
Shimon Shokek
JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AND
POLYTHEISTS IN THE ANCIENT
SYNAGOGUE
Cultural interaction during the Greco-Roman period
Edited by Steven Fine

London and New York
First published 1999 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.

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Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York,
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© 1999 Selection and editorial matter, Steven Fine; individual contributions, the
contributors
The right of Steven Fine and the contributors to be identified as the Authors of this Work have
been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or
by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jews, Christians, and polytheists in the ancient synagogue: cultural interaction during the Greco-
Roman period/ edited by Steven Fine. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1.
Synagogues—History—To 1500. 2. Synagogues. Samaritan —History—to 1500. 3. Gentiles in
synagogues—History—To 1500. 4. Judaism—Relations—History—To 1500. 5. Judaism—
History— Post-exilic period. 586 BC–210 AD I. Fine, Steven. BM653.J53 1999 98–37781
296.6’5’09014–dc21 CIP
ISBN 0-203-98242-8 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-415-18247-6 (Print Edition)
CONTENTS

List of illustrations vii
List of contributors x
Preface by Steven Fine xii
Acknowledgments xvii
List of abbreviations xviii

1 Common Judaism and the synagogue in the first century 1

E.P.SANDERS
2 Was the synagogue a place of sabbath worship before 70 CE? 16

PIETER W.VAN DER HORST
3 The early history of public reading of the Torah 38

LAWRENCE H.SCHIFFMAN
4 The Rabbis and the non-existent monolithic synagogue 50

STUART S.MILLER
5 Art in the synagogue: some Talmudic views 62

JOSEPH M.BAUMGARTEN
6 The Patriarchate and the ancient synagogue 77

LEE I.LEVINE
7 Sage, priest, and poet: typologies of religious leadership in the ancient 89
synagogue
MICHAEL D.SWARTZ
8 Samaritan synagogues and Jewish synagogues: similarities and 105
differences
REINHARD PUMMER
9 The synagogue within the Greco-Roman city 143

TESSA RAJAK
10 The Dura Europos synagogue, early-Christian art, and religious life in 154
Dura Europos
ROBIN M.JENSEN
11 Jews, Christians, and polytheists in late-antique Sardis 168

JOHN S.CRAWFORD
12 The Torah Shrine in the ancient synagogue: another look at the evidence 178

ERIC M.MEYERS
13 Non-Jews in the synagogues of late-antique Palestine: Rabbinic and 198
archeological evidence
STEVEN FINE

Index 215
ILLUSTRATIONS
Maps

A Ancient synagogues in the Diaspora xiii
B Ancient synagogues in the Land of Israel xiv
Figures

5.1ac Beth Alpha synagogue mosaic panels 63
5.2 Beth Alpha synagogue model 65
5.3 Scorpion from the Naaran synagogue mosaic, removed by 66

iconoclasts
5.4 Hammath-Tiberias synagogue mosaic 71
8.1 Tell Qasile: mosaic floor with Greek inscriptions 114
8.2 Tell Qasile: Greek mosaic inscription 115
8.3 Tell Qasile: inscription in Samaritan script 116
8.4 El-Khirbe: main hall, north wall, and pavement of the south 123

courtyard
10.1 Dura Europos synagogue: model of the atrium 155
10.2 Moses holding a biblical scroll 162
10.3 Aedicula, Dura Europos synagogue 163
11.1 Plan of the bath-gymnasium complex at Sardis, with the 169
synagogue on the southern side
11.2 Interior of the Sardis synagogue 170
11.3 Copper-alloy weighing device with a Maltese Cross, Sardis 171
11.4 Fragment of a marble plaque decorated with a menorah, Sardis 173
12.1 Khirbet Shema synagogue 185
12.2 Nabratein Torah Shrine aedicula 187
12.3 Ceramic rendering of a Torah Ark, Nabratein 189
13.1 Incense altar, Qa zyon 201