The Ostia Synagogue is a historic first century CE synagogue located in ancient seaport of Ostia Antica of Imperial Rome. It is believed to be one of the oldest synagogues in the world, the oldest synagogue in Europe and the oldest mainstream Jewish synagogue yet uncovered outside the Land of Israel/Palestine.
The current synagogue structure dates back to the reign of emperor Claudius (41-54 CE). The building most likely remained in use as a synagogue into the fifth century CE.
The dating of the synagogue is still not confirmed, there is a scholarly debate about the status of the synagogue building in the first century CE, with some scholars leaning towards the view that the building originally was constructed as a house which was later converted into a dedicated synagogue, and others arguing that it was in use as a synagogue from the first century CE.
In its original constructed form, the historic synagogue featured a main hall with benches along its three walls; a propylaeum or monumental gateway featuring four marble columns; and a triclinium or dining room with couches along three walls. There was a water well and basin near the entryway for ritual washings. The main door of the synagogue faces the southeast, towards Jerusalem.
circa 50 CE
Aedicula or the Torah Ark
In the third century CE a small shrine to hold the Torah scrolls was donated by Mindu Faustus. Originally an unimpressive wooden "Torah shelf" was built in the second century CE. With time this shrine deteriorated and a newer one was installed through the donations of another patron named Mindus Faustus in the third century CE. However, in the fourth century CE an elaborate aedicula was added to the synagogue to serve as the "Torah Ark".
circa 50 CE
Reused Corbel of Synagogue with Menorah
The "shelf" of the Synagoge (Mensola della Sinagoga), a marble corbel (a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket), is one of the two that originally decorated the Jewish shrine (illustration) in Ostia's synagogue holding the ark in which the scrolls of the law (Torah) were kept. The construction of this shrine is mentioned by a Greek inscription commemorating an individual who paid for a container to hold the sacred scrolls. The corbel presents a relief image of the seven-armed candelabrum (menorah), accompanied by a ram's horn (shofar), a bundle of three species of plant (palm, myrtle and willow) and a citron fruit, important symbols of the Jewish faith that allude to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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