Captives and redeeming captives: the law and the community
Rotman, Y. (2012). Captives and redeeming captives: the law and the community. In Judaea-Palaestina, Babylon and Rome.
In this article, Professor Youval Rotman examines the historical development of captive redemption practices in Judaism and Christianity during Late Antiquity. Through analysis of both Jewish and Christian sources from the second to sixth centuries CE, he demonstrates how the ransoming of captives evolved from individual acts into institutionalized religious and communal obligations. Rotman argues that while both religions developed parallel customs of redeeming captives as a public act, they did so through different institutional frameworks – the Christian Church through bishops and ecclesiastical property, and Jewish communities through ad hoc fundraising and communal resources.
The study reveals how these practices emerged in response to changing political circumstances, particularly the Roman Empire’s relationship with Judaism and Christianity, and later conflicts with external enemies. By comparing legal texts, rabbinical literature, and historical accounts, Rotman illuminates how religious communities stepped in to fill a void left by state authorities in protecting and ransoming their captive coreligionists. This comparative analysis provides important insights into the development of religious authority and communal responsibility in Late Antiquity.
