The origins of the synagogue remains shrouded in mystery, and its development in its early centuries is only slightly better understood. This book brings together a collection of essays which examine the development of the ancient synagogue. The text aims to offer a full critical picture of the early synagogue and the scholarly discussion concerning it. The book focuses on two central questions: what were the origins of the earliest synagogues, and where did they achieve their greatest growth in the early centuries; and what role did the early synagogue play within the Jewish community?