Zevi, “La Sinagoga di Ostia,” La Rassegna Mensile di Israel 38 (1972): 131–45 at 137 n. 17, wrote “La pubblicazione definitiva troverà posto in uno dei prossimi volumi della serie ‘Scavi di Ostia’.”

Zevi, “La Sinagoga di Ostia,” La Rassegna Mensile di Israel 38 (1972): 131–45 at 137 n. 17, wrote “La pubblicazione definitiva troverà posto in uno dei prossimi volumi della serie ‘Scavi di Ostia’.”)| false
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When I examined the finds in 2008, 2010, and 2013, I found most materials relating to the synagogue stored in rows P7 and P8 in the warehouse (Nuovi Depositi) at Ostia Antica (finds of special value, such as the coins, are kept separately in the “camera chiusa”). A number of different systems of bin labels exist for the synagogue materials (D2 xxx, he xxx, osmap xx, si 77 xxx, etc.). As far as I have been able to ascertain, bins carrying labels such as “Sinagoga 1979,” “Sinagoga 81,” and other labels referring to excavations after 1977 contain materials not from the synagogue itself but from the buildings across the street on the north side of the Via Severiana. Bins containing materials from the 1961–1964 excavations of the synagogue proper have been sorted according to material type (marmi, metalli, anfore, etc.), and individual objects or groups of objects have been supplied with copies of the contextual data from their original paper bags.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469.

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Ibid., 330–31.

Ibid., 335.

The photo of the podium is neg. D 1000, published most recently in Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 57, Figure 52 (see also Runesson’s Figure 45 on p. 54); for discussion of the floor surfaces in Room 14, see pp. 78–80.

Floriani Squarciapino, “La sinagoga di Ostia,” 327. She expressed similar caution in the initial report of the synagogue’s discovery, “Scoperta di una sinagoga,” 483: La sinagoga nella sua fase meglio accertata è databile per tipo di murature, stile dei rilievi e dei mosaici, agli inizi del iv secolo d. C. ma essa si impianta, sembra modificandone la pianta e creando delle aggiunte, in un edificio databile per il tipo delle murature in reticolato, nel corso del I sec. d. C. Non si può per ora stabilire se tale edificio più antico fosse anche esso una sinagoga: è questo uno dei problemi che potranno essere chiariti dalla futura campagna di scavo. This hesitation with regard to the identity of the earlier building as a synagogue seems to continue even into the 1962 campaign; see Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 33. Although, the final sentence of the 1961 piece seems to indicate the direction in which she was leaning: “Se poi lo scavo futuro dimostrerà che anche l’edificio del I secolo d.C. era una sinagoga, essa potrebbe contendere a quella di Delo il titolo di più antica sinagoga sino ad oggi nota” (“La Sinagoga di Ostia,” 336).

Floriani Squarciapino, “La sinagoga di Ostia,” 327. She expressed similar caution in the initial report of the synagogue’s discovery, “Scoperta di una sinagoga,” 483: La sinagoga nella sua fase meglio accertata è databile per tipo di murature, stile dei rilievi e dei mosaici, agli inizi del iv secolo d. C. ma essa si impianta, sembra modificandone la pianta e creando delle aggiunte, in un edificio databile per il tipo delle murature in reticolato, nel corso del I sec. d. C. Non si può per ora stabilire se tale edificio più antico fosse anche esso una sinagoga: è questo uno dei problemi che potranno essere chiariti dalla futura campagna di scavo. This hesitation with regard to the identity of the earlier building as a synagogue seems to continue even into the 1962 campaign; see Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 33. Although, the final sentence of the 1961 piece seems to indicate the direction in which she was leaning: “Se poi lo scavo futuro dimostrerà che anche l’edificio del I secolo d.C. era una sinagoga, essa potrebbe contendere a quella di Delo il titolo di più antica sinagoga sino ad oggi nota” (“La Sinagoga di Ostia,” 336).)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “Die Synagoge von Ostia Antica nach der zweiten Ausgrabungskampagne,” 13.

Floriani Squarciapino, “Die Synagoge von Ostia Antica nach der zweiten Ausgrabungskampagne,” 13.)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 196.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 196.)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 200 and “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. The Giornali degli Scavi entry for May 7–8, 1962 lists several decorated lamps found in a deposit in Room 10 (inv. 12495–12506, along with fragments of other lamps). A photograph of five lamps bearing menorahs from the synagogue has appeared in some publications (e.g., Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 470; Zevi, “La Sinagoga di Ostia,” Fig. 17; and Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 49, Fig. 30). Basic data about two lamps found at the synagogue (inv. 5935 and 12501) was published by Floriani Squarciapino in Gardens and Ghettos (ed. Mann), 226. An image and short discussion of inv. 12501, a single-wick terracotta lamp with an image of a Torah shrine, was published by Steven Fine in Sacred Realm: The Emergence of the Synagogue in the Ancient World (ed. Steven Fine; New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), 85 and 159.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 200 and “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. The Giornali degli Scavi entry for May 7–8, 1962 lists several decorated lamps found in a deposit in Room 10 (inv. 12495–12506, along with fragments of other lamps). A photograph of five lamps bearing menorahs from the synagogue has appeared in some publications (e.g., Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 470; Zevi, “La Sinagoga di Ostia,” Fig. 17; and Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 49, Fig. 30). Basic data about two lamps found at the synagogue (inv. 5935 and 12501) was published by Floriani Squarciapino in Gardens and Ghettos (ed. Mann), 226. An image and short discussion of inv. 12501, a single-wick terracotta lamp with an image of a Torah shrine, was published by Steven Fine in Sacred Realm: The Emergence of the Synagogue in the Ancient World (ed. Steven Fine; New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), 85 and 159.)| false
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Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 32 and Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. On the basis of the evidence then available, Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 92, had assigned the mosaic to the “first half of the second century.” It is not entirely clear why Floriani Squarciapino did not use the coins to aid in her dating of the floor, but it is quite possible that she did not know their date because they seem to have been analyzed off site and subsequently forgotten (see Williams, “Digging in the Archives”).

Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 32 and Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. On the basis of the evidence then available, Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 92, had assigned the mosaic to the “first half of the second century.” It is not entirely clear why Floriani Squarciapino did not use the coins to aid in her dating of the floor, but it is quite possible that she did not know their date because they seem to have been analyzed off site and subsequently forgotten (see Williams, “Digging in the Archives”).)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 200.

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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. Her account continued in a way that may reveal the reason behind her changing description: “These benches are identical in size and structure with those brought to light in the hall adjoining the fourth-century synagogue,” i.e. Room 18. Perhaps discoveries made in Room 18 encouraged the excavator to change her description of the remains in Room 10.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. Her account continued in a way that may reveal the reason behind her changing description: “These benches are identical in size and structure with those brought to light in the hall adjoining the fourth-century synagogue,” i.e. Room 18. Perhaps discoveries made in Room 18 encouraged the excavator to change her description of the remains in Room 10.)| false
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See Floriani Squarciapino, “Seconda campagna di scavo,” 311–12. These walls are visible in some of the archival photographs. See for example, the images in Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 70, Figures 93 and 94.

See Floriani Squarciapino, “Seconda campagna di scavo,” 311–12. These walls are visible in some of the archival photographs. See for example, the images in Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 70, Figures 93 and 94.)| false
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In 1963, Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 201–3, wrote, “The four columns of the inner propylaeum belong to the first-century building, for their foundations seem to be contemporary with the building in opus reticulatum. Clearly, however, the columns have undergone some slight rearrangement, perhaps when the edifice was rebuilt.” See also her discussion in “Seconda campagna di scavo,” 313–14 and Runesson’s discussion in “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 71–72.

Archivio Disegni at Ostia, inv. 885 and 5141. Neither of these drawings gives any indication of how these foundations relate to those of the reticulate walls. Are they similar styles of construction? It is unclear how else Floriani Squarciapino could decide that they “seem to be contemporary” with the opus reticulatum walls.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 203.

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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. In a German publication, “Die Synagoge von Ostia Antica nach der zweiten Ausgrabungskampagne,” 16, she used still another formulation: “Die Entfernung der Bodenbeläge in opus sectile hat im darunterliegenden Fussboden aus dem 1. Jahrhundert Spuren von Sitzbänken aus Mauerwerk, entlang den Seitenwänden und im Hintergrund des Raumes, zum Vorschein gebracht.”

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 469. In a German publication, “Die Synagoge von Ostia Antica nach der zweiten Ausgrabungskampagne,” 16, she used still another formulation: “Die Entfernung der Bodenbeläge in opus sectile hat im darunterliegenden Fussboden aus dem 1. Jahrhundert Spuren von Sitzbänken aus Mauerwerk, entlang den Seitenwänden und im Hintergrund des Raumes, zum Vorschein gebracht.”)| false
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In 2001, “La synagogue d’Ostie,” 276, she wrote, “Par ailleurs, il existe à Ostie des pilastres en opus vittatum dans des édifices d’époque antonine, ce qui conduit à situer à cette période la construction de l’édicule.” Interestingly, as early as 1961, Floriani Squarciapino had noted the presence of opus vittatum at Ostia assigned to the second century; see “La sinagoga di Ostia,” 336 n. 2.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 203.

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Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 470.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Most Ancient Synagogue Known from Monumental Remains,” 470.)| false
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Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 86–87.

Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 86–87.)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “La synagogue d’Ostie,” 276.

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See Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 62. Among the finds in this area were bronze needles of a type generally used for making fishing nets.

See Runesson, “The Synagogue at Ancient Ostia,” 62. Among the finds in this area were bronze needles of a type generally used for making fishing nets.)| false
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Floriani Squarciapino, “Seconda campagna di scavo,” 310.

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In 2001, Floriani Squarciapino, “La synagogue d’Ostie,” 275, wrote, “Ainsi se présentait la synagogue agrandie et restaurée au début du ive siècle, comme le démontre par ailleurs une monnaie de Maxence, découverte dans le conglomérat du mur qui sépare la pièce G [Room 10] de la salle B [Room 9]” (see also “Die Synagoge von Ostia Antica nach der zweiten Ausgrabungskampagne,” 13). This odd usage of single coins to provide a positive date rather than an earliest possible date occurs elsewhere in the same article (p. 276), where a coin of Trajan is used to provide a positive date for one of the black and white mosaics: “Par exemple, la mosaïque quadrangulaire, qui comporte en son centre une rosette, et qui située devant une porte latérale, sur le côté droit de la salle, est de l’époque de Trajan, puisque dans son soubassement on a découvert une monnaie de cet empereur.” Incidentally, as far as I know, these are the only two coins from the synagogue discussed in print by Floriani Squarciapino. I am informed, however, by Daniela Williams that about 160 coins (that we know of) were discovered in Floriani Squarciapino’s various excavations of the synagogue complex.

Floriani Squarciapino, “The Synagogue at Ostia,” 203.

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