The Jewish Diaspora in Ptolemaic and Roman Cyprus: Some Speculations

Abstract

The presence of Jews on Cyprus during Ptolemaic and Roman rule, although attested by diverse historical sources, has not been convincingly identified archaeologically. However, the pottery style named Cypriot Sigillata A, may provide oblique evidence of the Jewish Diaspora on Cyprus, or at least its end. This paper will propose a causal
relationship between two seemingly unrelated facts: the historically attested destruction of the Jewish Community 115–117 CE during the Diaspora Revolt; and, the sudden disappearance of Cypriot Sigillata A from the archaeological record by 150 CE.

DOI:10.2458/azu_jaei_v10i1_davis