Jewish Women Philosophers of First-Century Alexandria: Philo's 'Therapeutae' ReconsideredThe first-century ascetic Jewish philosophers known as the 'Therapeutae', described in Philo's treatise De Vita Contemplativa, have often been considered in comparison with early Christians, the Essenes, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. This study, which includes a new translation of De Vita Contemplativa, focuses particularly on issues of historical method, rhetoric, women, and gender, and comes to new conclusions about the nature of the group and its relationship with the allegorical school of exegesis in Alexandria. Joan E. Taylor argues that the group represents the tip of an iceberg in terms of ascetic practices and allegorical exegesis, and that the women described point to the presence of other Jewish women philosophers in Alexandria in the first century CE. Members of the group were 'extreme allegorizers' in following a distinctive calendar, not maintaining usual Jewish praxis, and concentrating their focus on attaining a trance-like state in which a vision of God's light was experienced. Their special 'feast' was configured in terms of service at a Temple, in which both men and women were priestly attendants of God. |
Contents
3 | |
Philos De Vita Contemplativa in Historical Context | 21 |
The Name Therapeutae and the Essenes | 54 |
The Geographical and Social Locations | 74 |
The Philosophia of Ioudaismos | 105 |
Allegory and Asceticism | 126 |
A Solar Calendar | 154 |
Paradigms of Women in Discourses on Philosophia | 173 |
Gendered Space | 265 |
Moses Miriam and Music | 311 |
Conclusion | 341 |
Partial translation of Philo of Alexandria | 349 |
De Migratione Abrahami 8696 Francis | 359 |
Bibliography | 365 |
391 | |
Women and Sex in De Vita Contemplativa | 227 |
Other editions - View all
Jewish Women Philosophers of First-century Alexandria: Philo's 'Therapeutae ... Joan E. Taylor No preview available - 2003 |
Jewish Women Philosophers of First-century Alexandria: Philo's 'Therapeutae ... Joan E. Taylor No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Ancient antiquity appears Aristobulus ascetic Aspasia audience body Brill calendar celibacy century BCE Chaeremon choir Christian Classical Claudius Clement of Alexandria clothing considered Contempl context cult cultic Dead Sea Scrolls Diogenes Laertius discourse discussion divine Essenes Eusebius exegesis exomis extreme allegorizers female festival Flacc Gaius gender Graeco-Roman Greek Hellenistic Hipparchia Hist History holy hymns Ibid ideal identified indicates inspired Israel Jewish Women Jews Josephus Judaism Kraemer Lake Mareotis Legat Leiden lifestyle linen live London male Mareotic group Migr Miriam modesty Moses Musonius Musonius Rufus notes Philo describes Philo of Alexandria Philo writes Plato Plutarch prophet Pythagoraean Pythagoras Qumran refer rhetoric Roman Egypt Rome Runia Sabbath sacred scripture seems sexual singing Socrates song soul Spec spiritual Stoic Suidae suppliants synagogue Temple Scroll Theano Therapeutae things tradition treatise University Press virgins virtue Vita Contemplativa Wisdom woman Women Philosophers word York
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