Palestine in the Time of Jesus

Palestine in the Time of Jesus:

Social Structures and Social Conflicts

K. C. Hanson and Douglas E. Oakman

RESOURCES FOR CHAPTER TWO

Chapter Two
"All in the Family"
Kinship in Roman Palestine

Chapter Summary

In ancient Mediterranean societies during the first century, kinship was the primary social domain. That is to say, virtually no social relationship, institution, or value-set was untouched by the family and its concerns. Employing Emanuel Todd's model of basic family forms—which uses issues of spouse choice, inheritance patterns, and endogamy/exogamy—it becomes clear that families in first-century Palestine best fit the "endogamous community" type. This contrasts the most prevelant family type in the U.S.: "absolute nuclear" type.

The first key issue of first-century kinship issues is gender. In this patriarchal society, male and female roles were sharply differentiated, as were there social expectations and dress. Genealogies were ancient lists that articulated a family's or an individual's honor; these can be unilineal (following one descendant per generation) or segmented (following multiple descendants per generation). These genealogies are based on principles of descent: patrilineal (following only male links) matrilineal (following only female links), or cognatic (combining both male and female links to one's ancestors).

The marriage pattern followed throughout the Middle East for centuries has been endogamy—marriage between close relatives (usually paternal cousins, or uncles/nieces).

The "gifts" surrounding a marriage in the ancient world included "dowry" (the property a bride's family provides the bride or the couple), "indirect dowry" (property the groom's family provides the bride or couple), and "bridewealth" (the property a groom's family gave to the bride's family).