Synagogues In Ptolemaic Egypt

Synagogues In Ptolemaic EgyptThe Jews of Egypt built several synagogues. The construction of these synagogues has been documented by several "proseuche" dedication inscriptions discovered by archaeologists in Crocodilopolis, Schedia, Athribis, Xenophrys, Nitriai and Alexandria. From the Greek word meaning “prayer,” a proseuche is a synagogue or a place for Jews to pray. Another inscription from the ancient synagogue in Crocodilopolis, 240 BCE reads:"On behalf of King Ptolemy (III Euergetes), son of Ptolemy and Queen Bernice his wife and sister and their children, the Jews in Crocodilopolis (dedicated) the proseuche.The Inscription from Synagogue at Athribis​, Egypt, 194 BCE reads:"On behalf of King Ptolemy and Queen Cleopatra, Ptolemaios son of Epikydes, chief of police, and the Jews in Athribis [dedicated] the proseuche to G-d the Most High."Additional inscriptions were found documenting synagogues across Egypt.The word synagogue is derived from the Greek word sunagōgḗ which means assembly or gathering. After the restoration of the Second Temple in 515 BCE, Ezra and the Men of the Great Assembly standardized a compulsory communal service for individuals to participate in, especially for those in the diaspora including Babylon and Egypt. This developed into dedicated places of worship that were already well established in the time of Ptolemy II.