古巴比伦时期女祭司“家庭养老”习俗探析

A Research on the Family Support of the Priestess in Old Babylon

古巴比伦时期兴起了一个女祭司阶层,这些女祭司献身于神,大多住在修道院里从事宗教活动,她们一般不能结婚,不能生育后代,晚年如何养老是她们面临的一个现实问题。根据史料发现,她们解决晚年养老问题的方式主要有依靠兄弟养老、收养子女养老、依靠来自父母的财产养老和个人养老等多种家庭养老模式。女祭司通过多种养老方式很好地解决了自己晚年的养老问题。

During Old Babylon period, the priestess class began to rise. Most of priestesses dedicated to gods, and mostly lived in the temple, engaging themselves with religious activities. They usually could not get married, and had no offspring; naturally how to spend the old age was a major problem that these priestesses must face. According to historical records, we find that there were four models to support their life in old age：depending on brothers, adopting sons, receiving property from their parents and relying on their own economic income. Priestesses managed to support their life in old age by a variety of efficient ways.