The City in Roman Palestine

by Sperber, Daniel

• ISBN13: 9780195098822
• ISBN10: 019509882X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-10-22
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book is a study of the city and urban life in Roman Palestine during the Talmudic period, 100-400 B.C. Rather than focus on a specific city, Daniel Sperber synthesizes what is known about city life in Talmudic Palestine to create a paradigmatic hypothetical Palestinian city. Drawing on numerous literary records for his information, he describes the structure and use of many physical aspects of the city, such as its markets, pubs, streets, bathhouses, roads, walls, toilets, and water supply. Rounding out the study is a chapter describing the archeological evidence, written by Sperber's colleague, Professor Joshua Schwartz. With the recent upsurge of interest in urbanization in the Greco-Roman world, The City in Roman Palestine will attract not only scholars of Judaic literature and history, but also classicists and ancient historians.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vi	(1)
Abbreviations	vii
Introduction	3	(6)
1. The Market: Physical Aspects	9	(17)
2. Administration and Organization of the Market	26	(6)
3. Market Control	32	(16)
4. Pubs, Drunkards, and Licensing Laws	48	(10)
5. On the Bathhouse	58	(15)
6. Public Buildings	73	(30)
7. Roads and Backstreets	103	(14)
8. City Walls	117	(11)
9. Water Supply, Sewage, and Drainage	128	(21)
10. Archeology and the City	149	(39)
Appendix 1: Unidentified "Public" Buildings	188	(2)
Appendix 2: Urban Synagogues	190	(5)
Index	195