The Names of the Jews in Ancient Rome

The lecture explores the naming practices of the Jews in Rome around the 3.–5. c. CE based on epigraphical evidence.

The historical research about the Jews in Rome has to rely almost exclusively on archaeological findings. The main evidence stems from almost 600 inscriptions found in or nearby the six Jewish catacombs of the city or in its surroundings. The epitaphs of the Jews in ancient Rome are particularly revealing because of the information they contain about the Jewish community. The names of 11 congregations have been mentioned as well as an exceptionally high number of titles not known from any other Jewish community in antiquity. Furthermore, the name or names of the deceased, family members, and commemorators can be found on the epitaphs.

In the lecture the names themselves and the means to express them will be presented and analyzed. In order to do so, the use of languages, transliteration habits, and naming patterns or formulas will be examined. The results will be then compared to evidence from other Jewish communities and pagan and Christian naming practices in Rome. This approach enables the discussion of a number of important questions, concerning cultural connections, influences and persistence of traditions. The naming practices also reveal the degrees of acculturation or possible differentiation or even separation from other groups. The lecture will reveal whether the Jewish community in ancient Rome is special and if so, in what ways.