David Noy - Böcker

This book collects all known Jewish inscriptions in Egypt between the third century BC and the sixth century AD. The entry on each inscription provides text, translation, bibliography and commentary. Hitherto, it has been necessary to refer to an older collection (1952, but essentially pre-war) together with a separately published revision (1964), with very limited indexing. Here the aim has been to include inscriptions not in the earlier collection, to bring together the necessary information on each inscription, and to supply full indexing. The inscriptions form a vivid primary source for Jewish history and religion.

This book collects all known Jewish inscriptions in Egypt between the third century BC and the sixth century AD. The entry on each inscription provides text, translation, bibliography and commentary. Hitherto, it has been necessary to refer to an older collection (1952, but essentially pre-war) together with a separately published revision (1964), with very limited indexing. Here the aim has been to include inscriptions not in the earlier collection, to bring together the necessary information on each inscription, and to supply full indexing. The inscriptions form a vivid primary source for Jewish history and religion.

Although there was a substantial Jewish population in Western Europe from at least the first century BC, literary evidence for it before the end of the sixth century AD is very sparse, amounting to a few mainly hostile references by Roman writers and some material of doubtful historical value in rabbinic and hagiographic sources. Knowledge of the Jewish communities of the West is therefore almost entirely dependent on inscriptions, which contain information on community organisation, the use of biblical texts and religious symbols, linguistic habits, naming practices and social status, and burial customs and beliefs about life after death. This volume, the first of a two volume work, provides ready access to the Jewish inscriptions from Italy and the islands, Spain, France and Germany. Volume 2 concentrates on the inscriptions of the City of Rome. Hitherto it has been necessary to consult specialist publications to gain a complete picture of the inscriptions: this book fills a notable gap in the market.

Although there was a substantial Jewish population in Western Europe from at least the first century BC, literary evidence for it before the end of the sixth century AD is very sparse, amounting to a few mainly hostile references by Roman writers and some material of doubtful historical value in rabbinic and hagiographic sources. Knowledge of the Jewish communities of the West is therefore almost entirely dependent on inscriptions, which contain information on community organisation, the use of biblical texts and religious symbols, linguistic habits, naming practices and social status, and burial customs and beliefs about life after death. While Volume One provides ready access to the Jewish inscriptions from Italy and the islands, Spain and Gaul this second of two volumes concentrates on the inscriptions of the City of Rome. Hitherto it has been necessary to consult specialist publications to gain a complete picture of the inscriptions: this book fills a notable gap in the market.

The Tiber has been joined by the Orontes'. So wrote the Roman satirist Juvenal, in a complaint about immigration to the Empire's capital. Rome was constantly sustained by immigrants. Some were voluntary - craftworkers, soldiers, teachers and intellectuals. Countless others came as slaves. What happened to them after arrival? Did they try to keep contact with their homelands? Did they form distinctive communities within Rome? This book is the first comprehensive study of Rome's foreign-born element. The author uses inscriptions and literature to explore the experiences of newcomers to the capital. The results are compared with the colourful Roman stereotypes of different immigrant groups.