Jewish Women Philosophers of First-Century Alexandria: Philo's 'Therapeutae' Reconsidered [Paperback]

Joan E. Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2006

The "Therapeutae" were a Jewish group of ascetic philosophers who lived outside Alexandria in the middle of the first century CE. They are described in Philo's treatise De Vita Contemplativa and have often been considered in comparison with early Christians, the Essenes, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. But who were they really? This study focuses particularly on issues of history, rhetoric, women, and gender in a wide exploration of the group, and comes to new conclusions about the "Therapeutae" and their relationship with the Jewish allegorical school of exegesis in Alexandria. The volume includes a new translation of De Vita Contemplativa.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Review from previous edition 'This book is very well researched and original ... The lasting value of this book is twofold. It explores the status and activities of the Therapeutrides in more detail than earlier scholarship, thus reconstructing an important aspect of first-century Judaism. It also raises intriguing questions regarding the spreading of this phenomenon, which thus far cannot be answered with certainty. Beyond these issues related to women, the book is important because it reads one text of Philo against the grain and attempts to reconstruct a type of Judaism that differed in some significant respects from his own. This contributes to our understanding of the diversity of Alexandrian Judaism and may perhaps invite others to recover yet more forms of Judaism between the lines of Philo. Scripta Classica Israelica

About the Author

Joan E. Taylor is Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History at University College London and Honorary Fellow in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Product Details

• Paperback: 434 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199291411
• ISBN-13: 978-0199291410
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,409,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JOAN TAYLOR is the author of several books on ancient religion, history and archeology, including the prize-winning Christians and the Holy Places. A New Zealander and former lecturer in religion and history at Waikato University, she currently lives in England, where she teaches at King's College London. She also writes fiction and poetry.