Resumen. Filón en el tratado De vita contemplativa nos narra el devenir cotidiano de una comunidad filosófica judía, integrada por hombres y mujeres, que viven retiradamente en un poblado a las afueras de Alejandría, junto al lago Mareotis: los terapeutas. En este artículo pretendemos analizar el caserío del poblado mareótico, el tipo de construcciones que albergaron a esta congregación, sus características y su posible ubicación. Este estudio nos proporcionará un mayor conocimiento del medio en que desarrollaron su actividad contemplativa y (...) filosófica los terapeutas alejandrinos, y la relación de estas edificaciones con su propia vocación ascética y filosófica. (shrink)

In De vita contemplativa, Philo of Alexandria describes a pious group of Hebrew philosophers. They established their residence in a small village near Lake Mareotis, outside Alexandria. The members of the congregation, called Therapeutae because of their dedication to the cure or care of souls, were both male and female. They lived in isolation from each other in small, humble houses, although on special occasions they had moments of fraternal contact. The presence of women in a regime of equality with (...) men is one of the most striking and original features of this unique Jewish ascetic community. (shrink)

In his treatise De vita contemplativa, Philo tell us about the Therapeutae, a philosophic sect located in the outskirts of Alexandria, in a pleasant site near Lake Mareotis. Although the Jewish philosopher is not very explicit about the concrete details of its daily life, he does provide us with information on some aspects of it, like the clothing used by the Therapeutae, the ἐσθὴς, which, though being very elementary, can help us to understand the secluded and contemplative style of life (...) of this Ascetic Hebrew Congregation. (shrink)