The history of Jews from the period of the Second Temple to the rise of
Islam.
From 'A History of the Mishnaic Law of Appointed Times, Part 1'
This volume introduces the sources of Judaism in late antiquity to
scholars in adjacent fields, such as the study of the Old and New
Testaments, Ancient History, the ancient Near East, and the history of
religion. In two volumes, leading American, Israeli, and European
specialists in the history, literature, theology, and archaeology of
Judaism offer factual answers to the two questions that the study of any
religion in ancient times must raise. The first is, what are the sources
-- written and in material culture -- that inform us about that
religion? The second is, how have we to understand those sources in
reconstructing the history of various Judaic systems in antiquity. The
chapters set forth in simple statements, intelligible to
non-specialists, the facts which the sources provide. Because of the
nature of the subject and acute interest in it, the specialists also
raise some questions particular to the study of Judaism, dealing with
its historical relationship with nascent Christianity in New Testament
times. The work forms the starting point for the study of all the
principal questions concerning Judaism in late antiquity and sets forth
the most current, critical results of scholarship.
