Jewish Marriage in Antiquity / Michael L. Satlow.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Satlow, Michael L., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Marriage--History--To 1500.

Marriage.

Jewish marriage customs and rites.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 431 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2018]

Language Note:

In English.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Summary:

Marriage today might be a highly contested topic, but certainly no more than it was in antiquity. Ancient Jews, like their non-Jewish neighbors, grappled with what have become perennial issues of marriage, from its idealistic definitions to its many practical forms to questions of who should or should not wed. In this book, Michael Satlow offers the first in-depth synthetic study of Jewish marriage in antiquity, from ca. 500 B.C.E. to 614 C.E. Placing Jewish marriage in its cultural milieu, Satlow investigates whether there was anything essentially "Jewish" about the institution as it was discussed and practiced. Moreover, he considers the social and economic aspects of marriage as both a personal relationship and a religious bond, and explores how the Jews of antiquity negotiated the gap between marital realities and their ideals. Focusing on the various experiences of Jews throughout the Mediterranean basin and in Babylonia, Satlow argues that different communities, even rabbinic ones, constructed their own "Jewish" marriage: they read their received traditions and rituals through the lens of a basic understanding of marriage that they shared with their non-Jewish neighbors. He also maintains that Jews idealized marriage in a way that responded to the ideals of their respective societies, mediating between such values as honor and the far messier realities of marital life. Employing Jewish and non-Jewish literary texts, papyri, inscriptions, and material artifacts, Satlow paints a vibrant portrait of ancient Judaism while sharpening and clarifying present discussions on modern marriage for Jews and non-Jews alike.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENT

ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

PART I. Thinking about Marriage

Chapter One. WHY MARRY?

Chapter Two. METAPHOR AND MYTH

Chapter Three. MARRIAGE AND LAW

PART II. Marrying

Chapter Four. SHREDS OF REAL MARRIAGE

Chapter Five. MAKING A MATCH

Chapter Six. ENDOGAMY AND EXOGAMY

Chapter Seven. CUSTOMS AND RITUALS OF MARRIAGE

Chapter Eight. IRREGULAR UNIONS

PART III. Staying Married

Chapter Nine. THE ECONOMICS OF MARRIAGE

Chapter Ten. THE IDEAL MARRIAGE

CONCLUSIONS

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SUBJECT INDEX

INDEX OF PREMODERN SOURCES

INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (p. [367]-400 ) and indexes.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 23. Mai 2019)

ISBN:

9780691187495

0691187495

OCLC:

1132218705