SOUTH ASIA INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED CHRISTIAN STUDIES

ESSAY: WOMEN IN SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD

Submitted to

DR. ERIC CLOUSTON

in partial fulfilment of the

requirements of the course

082023: History and Literature of the Second Temple Period

Due Date: 26-Aug-2023 Date Submitted: 26-Aug-2023

Expected Time: - 5pm Actual time: - 5pm

Expected word count: - 1500 Actual Word Count: - 1561

I declare that this assignment is my unaided work. I have not copied it from any person,
article, book, website, or another form of storage. I have acknowledged every idea and phrase
that is not my own.

Signature: _____________________________

By

Selesteena

Registration 2252

26-Aug-2023
Introduction:

Throughout different eras in history, women have consistently shown a tendency to fight
for their own rights. The path to achieving equality and rights for women has never been
simple. In the current century, women have achieved significant advancements in terms of
freedom and equality. These achievements are the result of enduring significant conflicts with
established societal norms. Similarly, looking back at the Second Temple period, women also
experienced certain advantages and opportunities compared to the norms of that time. During
the Ssecond Ttemple Pperiod, women played crucial roles within the Jewish community and
they also enjoyed certain advantages and opportunities.

Prominent Women: Significant Roles in the Second Temple Period

Queen Shelamzion Alexandra:

Queen Shelamzion Alexandra, also known as Queen Salome Alexandra, holds a

significant place in the history of the Second Temple period. She was a member of the
Hasmonean dynasty and married King Alexander Jannaeus. During King Alexander’s rule,
his policies led to conflicts among Jewish communities, notably the Pharisees sect. After
King Alexander Jannaeus's death, Queen Salome took the throne. “She reigned for nine years,
solved all the internal conflicts among the Jewish community, reconciled with Pharisees” 1.
This era saw economic prosperity and political stability under her leadership. Queen
Salome’s life showcases the freedom and leadership roles that women could undertake during
the Second Temple period.

Pherora’s wife:

Pherora, King Herod’s brother, is infamous for his role as an ungrateful sibling due to his
plot against King Herod, his own brother. He wed a woman who is twice referred to as a
“sSlave” by Josephus. During King Herod’s era, the Jewish people were required to pledge
loyalty to Caesar and the King’s government. However, six thousand Pharisees declined to
take this oath. Consequently, Herod imposed fines upon them. Author Tal Ilan asserts that
“Pherora’s wife paid that fine for six thousand Pharisees and she also says that is another
woman followed by Queen Salome who took an independent religious political stance”2. This
incident not only underscores her financial stability but also showcases her support for the
Pharisees.
1
Tal Ilan, Integrating Women into Second Temple History, n.d., 21.
2
Ilan, 25.
Judith:

The story of Judith revolves around the courageous deeds of a woman who plays a pivotal
role in saving her city, Bethulia, from the clutches of the Assyrian army. Witnessing the
suffering of her people, she devised a clever plan, infiltrated the Assyrian army while wearing
ancient attire, and managed to earn the trust of the Assyrian general. At the opportune
moment, she skilfully beheaded the general. With news of the general’s demise spreading
through the Assyrian ranks, they fled away from the city. Judith’s wise act led to her
celebration by the people. According to Tal Ilan, “During the second temple period, women
encountered no hindrances in participating in revolts”.3.

Drawing insights from the lives of these women, Tal Ilan suggests that women during the
Second Temple period enjoyed significant autonomy in decision-making, the ability to
choose their own religious path, participation in revolts, and active involvement in politics.
Additionally, women also encountered numerous opportunities and advantages during this
historical era. Some of these aspects include:

Religious life:

In matters concerning religious life, the temple assumes a significant role. Josephus
highlights that “within the temple, women had a designated courtyard where they could
engage in prayer and religious practices. Women also held positions as temple weavers”4.
Josephus’s statement makes it clear that women had access to the temple and were actively
involved in various tasks within the temple.

Position in the synagogues:

During the Second Temple period, women held titles in the synagogues alongside men.
These titles included “head of the synagogue”, “elders”, and “mother of the synagogues”.
Some authors argue that “women bore titles because they were inherited through familial
connections, passed down from fathers of husbands. They propose that these titles were more
of an honorific nature rather than holding functional responsibilities”5. However, opposing
this perspective, authors like Bernadette and Lee Levine assert that women assumed these
titles due to their substantial roles in synagogues.

3
Ilan, 150.
4
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women,” Jewish Women’s Archive, accessed August 23, 2023,
5
Bernadette J. Brooten, “Introduction to the Digital Edition,” in Women Leaders in the Ancient Synagogue,
Inscriptional Evidence and Background Issues (Brown Judaic Studies, 2020), 2,.
 Bernadette J. Brooten, in her thesis, highlights that “Jewish women actively involved in
synagogue function”. Similarly, Lee Levine contends that “women not only attended
synagogue services and sat with men but also made donations and participated in synagogue
leadership”6.

Several examples support the idea of women assuming leadership roles in the synagogues.
For instance, “Rufina is mentioned as the “Head of the synagogue”7; “Sophia of Gortya holds
the titles of “elder” and “head of the synagogue”,8 and names like Sara Ura, Rebeka,
Beronike, Mannine, Faustina, Myrina”9 appear as women referred to as elders in synagogues.

These pieces of evidence collectively demonstrate that women had opportunities to assume
leadership positions within ancient synagogues.

Active participation in Sects:

During the second temple period, women were actively engaged in various sects. Queen
Helene, Queen Salome Alexandra, and Pherora’s wife stand as prime examples of such
participation. Moreover, women’s involvement extended to the Dead Sea sects. Documents
from the Dead Sea sect reference women elders and female scribes10. These records attest to
women’s dynamic engagement within the sect, highlighting their evident freedom to partake
in religious activities. Throughout this era, many women found themselves drawn to the
teachings of the Pharisees, leading them to convert to Pharisaic Judaism. This transformation
underscores women’s autonomy in choosing and embracing their preferred religious path.

Women in revolt:

Both the Jewish historian Josephus and Tacitus mention that women participated in the
revolt against Rome. This illustrates that women faced no obstacles in joining revolts, and the
typical case of Judith highlights this fact.

Profession:

6
Brooten, 8.
7
Lee I. Levine and Zeev Weiss, From Dura to Sepphoris: Studies in Jewish Art and Society in Late Antiquity,
Journal of Roman Archaeology (Portsmouth, R.I.: Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2000), 215,
8
Levine and Weiss, 216.
9
Levine and Weiss, 217–18.
10
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.”
 During the Second Temple period, one of the primary professions in which many women
were involved was weaving. “Weaving was widely regarded as a traditional occupation for
women, and they played a significant role in producing numerous curtains. These curtains
were often sent to various Greek temples”11. In addition to weaving, women also worked as
“midwives and cooks. Notably, the Beit Shammai School of thought encouraged and
supported women to run business independently”12. These examples demonstrate that, beyond
household responsibilities, women were also prominently involved in various other
professions.

Education:

During the Ssecond Ttemple period time, the Rabbis placed a significant emphasis on
learning, valuing it above all other qualities. This led to the encouragement of education for
everyone, including women. “Women attended Rabbinic academies where they engaged in
studying scriptures”13. In that era, sects were also referred to as “Schools of thought”, and a
significant number of women were involved in these sects, indicating their substantial
engagement in learning.

Legal position:

During the Ssecond Ttemple period, the Hebrew Bbible played a significant role in
shaping the legal status of women. Women had the right to inherit from their fathers.
Concerning marriage, the tradition of Levirate marriage persisted, wherein a childless widow
benefited by marrying her deceased husband’s brother. Notably, Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta
himself participated in a levirate marriage by marrying his sister-in-law. Women possessed
the right to present evidence in cases of mistreatment by their husbands, and they held the
right to initiate divorce. A document found in the Judean desert serves as evidence of this
right to divorce. This document mentions Shelamziyyon, daughter of Joseph, sending a
divorce document titled “a bill of divorce and release” to her husband Eleazar” “14. All these
rights indicate that women held a distinct legal position during the Second Temple period.

Conclusion:

11
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.”
12
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.”
13
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.”
14
“Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.”
 Collectively, these aspects serve as evidence that women in the Second Temple period
enjoyed numerous opportunities and rights. They were actively involved in various
professions, received a quality education, participated in synagogue affairs, assumed
leadership responsibilities, engaged fervently in political and religious matters, and held
favorable legal positions. These factors collectively underscore the substantial freedoms they
experienced during that era. Author Tal Ilan aptly asserts that “The Second temple period is
more congenial and less patriarchal”15 a statement that remains both acceptable and accurate.
This is because women of that time enjoyed a remarkable degree of freedom when compared
to the prevailing norms.

Bibliography

15
Ilan, Integrating Women into Second Temple History, 42.
Brooten, Bernadette J. “Introduction to the Digital Edition.” In Women Leaders in the Ancient
Synagogue. Inscriptional Evidence and Background Issues. Brown Judaic Studies,
2020. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvzpv5mr.4.
Crawford, Sidnie White. “Mothers, Sisters, and Elders: Titles for Women in Second Temple
Jewish and Early Christian Communities,” n.d.
Ilan, Tal. Integrating Women into Second Temple History, n.d.
Jewish Women’s Archive. “Post-Biblical and Rabbinic Women.” Accessed August 23, 2023.
https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/post-biblical-and-rabbinic-women.
Levine, Lee I., and Zeev Weiss. From Dura to Sepphoris: Studies in Jewish Art and Society
in Late Antiquity. Journal of Roman Archaeology. Portsmouth, R.I.: Journal of Roman
Archaeology, 2000. http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy046/2004269059.html.