This conference explores the diverse expressions of Judean religious and communal life under Achaemenid rule (538–330 BCE). Three key corpora illuminate this world: the late biblical texts centered on the Jerusalem Temple; the Aramaic papyri from Elephantine and the cuneiform records from Mesopotamia, reflecting the economic and ritual lives of the diaspora.

Building on recent scholarship that integrates archaeological and textual evidence, the conference examines how Judeans and other imperial subjects adapted to Persian administrative, economic, and religious frameworks. Bringing together experts from multiple disciplines, Temple Life in the Persian Empire invites new discussion on the interaction between empire and temple, and on how imperial contexts shaped cultural identity, ritual practice, and the experience of dispersion.