ABSTRACT
The next chapter will examine the physical background of the synagogue, but to understand this other parts of the context must be filled in. This chapter will therefore ask what was the Jewish and Christian philosophy of the building. It would be good to choose some system of thought which was currently accepted when Jews started to build synagogues The earliest synagogue of which we have archaeological evidence was at Schedia in Egypt. It was built during the reign of Ptolemy III, in or after 247 Bc.
