Mö II. - Ms IV. Yüzyıllar Arasında Cılıcıa’da Yahudiler

Year 2012, Issue: 2, 109 - 139, 01.01.2012

Sevim Ayteş Canevello

Abstract

This study will have the underlying theme of Jewish life and community in Cilicia and how Jews lived in this province without being discriminated, except paying special tax under Roman rule, and were tolerated by the people in the region. Cilicia was on a trade route close to Jerusalem, in a moderate climate by the Mediterranean Sea, and naturally secured by Taurus Mountain. These attributes might attract Jews to flourish in Cilicia, develop their communities throughout the region and reside there for many centuries. In this study, the Jews will be treated as an ethnic group in Cilician society. I will explore their social status in Cilician society, and relations with non Jews in Cilicia, as well as Jews from Asia Minor and Iudaea. Along with it, I will explain, even though the Jews were part of the social networks of the city and shared in many of the characteristics of everyday life, how Jews were able to preserve and advocate their unique customs, lifestyle, and a strong sense of their identity in this society. First, I will explore Jewish social life and discuss how Jews were involved in the Cilician community. Cilician Jews integrated themselves with the Cilician pagan and Christian community. Based on the epigraphic evidence and archaeological findings, Jews shared the same cemeteries with pagans and Christians; used the same language with the people in the region, and had the same rights as Roman citizens of Cilicia. Second, I will discuss how Jews advocated for themselves in the political arena and introduced their Jewish identity and culture to the whole community by participating in city council and rule; such as Menandros town councilor from Corycus; Isakis from Tarsus. I will also explore how Jews identified themselves in society by using Jewish symbols as a demonstration of their identity such as the menorah. Furthermore, I will discuss their role in Cilician economy to elaborate their involvement within trade and commerce.

Keywords

Jews, Cilicia, menorah, Paulus, Iudaea

Mö II. - Ms IV. Yüzyıllar Arasında Cılıcıa’da Yahudiler

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Cilicia’daki Yahudi cemaatini ve onların hayatını inceleyerek, Yahudilerin özel vergi ödemesinin dışında Cilicia’daki halkla bir bütün oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Cilicia, ticari yol üzerinde ve Hierosolyma’ya yakın olması nedeniyle, Akdeniz kıyısında ve Toros dağlarıyla çevrili doğal bir koruma alanına sahiptir. Cilicia’nın bu özellikleri, Yahudilerin bölgeye yerleşmesine ve bölgenin birçok şehirlerinde yüzyıllar boyunca yaşamalarına neden olmuştur. Bu çalışmada, Yahudiler etnik bir grup olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Onların sosyokültürel hayatı incelenerek, bölgedeki Yahudi olmayan halkla ve Kücük Asia ve Iudaea ile olan ilişkileri anlatılmaktadır. Ayrıca, Yahudilerin Cilicia’da yaşayan toplumla belli bir uyum içinde yaşamış olsalar da kendi kimliklerini nasıl koruduklarına değinilmektedir. Birinci bölümde, bölgedeki Yahudilerin sosyokültürel hayatı incelenmeye çalışılmaktadır. Arkeolojik ve epigrafik bulgular doğrultusunda Yahudilerin Hıristiyan ve pagan mezarlarında gömüldüğü, yazıtların Cilicia’da halkın kullandığı dilde olduğu açıklanacaktır. Yahudilerin Roma vatandaşlarıyla aynı haklara sahip olduğu üzerinde durulmaktadır. İkinci bölümde, Yahudilerin politik hayattaki yeri irdelenmektedir; Corycuslu Menandros ve Tarsuslu Isakis’in şehir konsilinde üye olmaları ve ayrıca, Yahudilerin kendi kimliklerini kullanarak Cilicia’daki halkla bir bütün oluştururken Yahudi dini kimliklerini öne çıkaran –menorah vb.- bazı semboller kullanmaları gibi… Son bölümde ise yazılı belgeler ışığında Yahudilerin Cilicia ekonomisine katkısı ve önemi anlatılmaktadır.

Keywords

Yahudi, Cilicia, menorah, Paulus, Iudaea

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