The Jews of Rome

I attended the session S20-62 Hellenistic Judaism, at the SBL Annual Meeting today; the most interesting paper for my part was Erich S. Gruen, The Jews at Rome: Alienation, Toleration or integration? or None of the Above?

He said discussions were often marred by the issues of ghettoization or assimilation as the most relevant options, but he claimed that the Jews where able to live at both of these two ends at the same time. Their situations were complex, but our sources seem to support the hypothesis that they clung to their distinction as Jews, while at the same time enjoying participation in the life of Rome.

Are we often thinking too much in dichotomies?