Ancient Synagogue Literary Sources
Titus Flavius Josephus
Joseph ben Matthias (Yosef ben Matityahu)
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City |
Other literary |
Excavation |
Inscription |
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1 |
Alexandria |
20 BC |
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2 |
Antioch, Syria |
70 AD |
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3 |
Caesarea |
70 AD |
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4 |
Cana |
40 BC |
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5 |
Delos |
54 BC |
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6 |
Dor |
41 AD |
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7 |
Ephesus |
76 BC |
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8 |
Gamla |
76 BC |
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9 |
Gush Halav |
78 BC |
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10 |
Halicarnassus |
20 BC |
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11 |
Jericho |
2 AD |
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12 |
Jerusalem |
169 BC |
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13 |
Laodicea |
76 BC |
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14 |
Magdala |
66 BC |
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15 |
Masada |
78 BC |
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16 |
Miletus |
46 BC |
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17 |
Modein |
132 BC |
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18 |
Rome |
54 BC |
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19 |
Sardis |
49 BC |
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20 |
Tiberias |
66 BC |
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Introduction:
A. Josephus is a primary source about Synagogues at the time of the Messiah, second only to the New Testament:
1. Josephus mentions 18 cities that had fully functioning synagogues before the birth of Christ Jesus.
a. Several Synagogues listed by Josephus are otherwise unknown to history and he is the only known reference.
b. Many Synagogues listed by Josephus merely adds additional information to known synagogues.
2. Josephus provides details of synagogue worship and organization.
3. Josephus records a series of imperial decrees dating back to authorities is 76 BC and Julius Caesar and Tiberias Caesar.
4. “Synagogues were viewed as collegia by Roman authorities in the first century B.C.E., yet their status was special. Two figures dominate the interpretation of the evidence, Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus. Others have summarized the main outlines of the legal position.8 In 64 B.C.E. the Senate prohibited all collegia on principle because of their danger to the state as private institutions.9 It was characteristic of the political and social turbulence of the period that in 58 B.C.E., during the First Triumvirate, collegia were permitted again, and that in 56 B.C.E. the Senate again dissolved political clubs, a specific class of collegia. A few years later (sometime between 49 and 44 B.C.E.), Julius Caesar prohibited all collegia Empire-wide except the most ancient. One exception, perhaps because it conformed to the notion ancient, was Judaism,1° and this exception was also Empire-wide. By this action Caesar made Judaism a religio licita, and Jewish gratitude for this status was demonstrated by Jewish attendance at Caesar's funeral (Suetonius, Jul. 84.5). The character of the period emerges clearly from Cicero's defence of Flaccus: (Flac. 66-69)” (Building Jewish in the Roman East, Peter Richardson, p114, 2004 AD)
B. SUMMARY LIST of Imperial Roman decrees regulating and protecting synagogues in Josephus:
Jump to detailed Josephus quotes of Federal Synagogue Decrees and Laws
1. DECREE: Freedom to self-determination of Jewish worship:
a. Antiquities 19.281-285, Alexandria 20 BC
b. Antiquities 14.235 Sardis 49 BC
c. Antiquities 14.260 Sardis 48BC
d. Antiquities 14.214-215 Delos 54 BC
e. Antiquities 14.227 Ephesus 76 BC
2. DECREE: Right of Assembly in distinct synagogue building of their own design:
a. Antiquities 14.256-258 Halicarnassus c. 20 BC
b. Antiquities 14.244–246 Miletus 46 BC
c. Antiquities 14.235 Sardis 49 BC
d. Antiquities 14.259-261 Sardis 48BC
e. Antiquities 14.227 Ephesus 76 BC
3. DECREE: Right to keep operate a civic court in the synagogue:
a. Antiquities 14.235 Sardis 49 BC
4. DECREE: Right to keep the Sabbath and refrain from work:
a. Antiquities 14.256-258 Halicarnassus c. 20 BC
b. Antiquities 14.262-264, Ephesus 40 BC
c. Antiquities 14.244–246 Miletus 46 BC
d. Antiquities 14:226 Ephesus 76 BC
e. Antiquities 14.241–242 Laodicea 76 BC
5. DECREE: Right to keep kosher food laws “ancestral food”:
a. Antiquities 14.244–246 Miletus 46 BC
b. Antiquities 14.261 Sardis 48BC
c. Antiquities 14.226 Ephesus 76 BC
6. DECREE: Right to keep annual Jewish Holy days:
a. Antiquities 14.213–214, Delos 54 BC
7. DECREE: Right to collect money:
a. Antiquities 14.227 Ephesus 76 BC
b. Antiquities 14.214-215 Delos 54 BC
8. DECREE: Exempt from military service:
a. Antiquities 14.226-227, Ephesus 76 BC
B. SUMMARY LIST of Synagogue worship, function and architecture in Josephus:
Jump to detailed Josephus quotes of Synagogue worship at the time of Jesus
1. Asylum Sanctuary: “no go zones”: Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.44
2. Weekly Sabbath meeting place:
a. Josephus, Antiquities 16.43
b. Josephus Antiquities 16.164
3. Women not segregated: Role of Women and children in the Synagogue:
a. Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261: decree: 48BC
b. Josephus, Antiquities 14.256-258: decree: c. 30 BC
4. Mikveh: Pool of Siloam: 3000 souls added to church in Baptism here! Acts 2:41
a. Josephus Wars of the Jews 5.145
5. Bible reading, study, teaching of Law
a. Josephus Against Apion 2.175
b. Josephus Antiquities 16.43
6. Literacy of children commanded in Law and accomplished in Synagogue schools:
a. Josephus Against Apion 2.204
b. Josephus Antiquities 16.164
c. The Jerusalem Talmud says there were hundreds of schools in Jerusalem alone in the first century AD.
7. Temple tax funds collected and sent to the Jerusalem Temple:
a. Josephus Antiquities 16.164
b. Josephus Antiquities 16.167-168
8. No pot lucks or common meals in the synagogue: Sacred Mazzot Passover meals only, “Social gospel” forbidden:
a. Same in Christian Church: "If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home." (1 Corinthians 11:34)
b. Josephus, Antiquities 14.214-215
c. Mishnah, m. Megilla 3:3
d. Jerusalem Talmud, y. Meg. 3:3, II.1.B–III.3.A
e. Babylonian Talmud, b. Meg. 4:4, I.1.A–C
f. Babylonian Talmud, b. Meg. 4:4, I.1–I.5
9. Town hall type civic meetings to resolve religious persecution:
a. Josephus, Life 280, Tiberias 66 AD
D. SUMMARY List of 18 cities with Synagogue in Josephus at the time of Jesus:
Jump to detailed Josephus quotes of 18 synagogue cities
Josephus adds several pre-70 AD first century synagogues to our list of known cities. In several cases, the only historical record of a synagogue at a specific city is solely because Josephus explicitly tells us that one existed there.
1. Alexandria: Decree: Josephus, Antiquities 19.281-285
2. Antioch, Syria: (Paul’s home base church): Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.44–45, 167 BC
3. Caesarea: Josephus, Wars 2.284-291, 66 AD
4. Cana: Home town of Antigonus II: Josephus, Wars 1.333-334, 40-37 BC. Josephus’ home town before 66 AD: Josephus, Life 86.
5. Delos: Josephus, Antiquities 14.213–214, Delos 54 BC
6. Dor: Josephus, Antiquities 19.300-305
7. Ephesus: Josephus Antiquities 14.225–228, decree: 43 BC; Antiquities 14.262-264, 40 BC
8. Gamla: Rebel base of Judas of Galilee 66 AD: Josephus Wars of the Jews 4.1-83
9. Gush Halav: (Gischala) Home town of Revolt leader “John of Gischala” 66 AD, captured by Titus in Jerusalem in 70 AD and paraded in advance of the Temple Menora in Rome. (Titus Arch) Josephus Wars 4.83-120
10. Halicarnassus: (beside Cos) Josephus, Antiquities 14.256–258, c. 30 BC
11. Jericho: Josephus Wars of the Jews 4.459-475; Josephus Antiquities 17.339-341, Archelaus: 1-6 AD
12. Jerusalem: Josephus, Against Apion 1.208–209, quoting Agatharchides 169 BC
13. Laodicea: Josephus, Antiquities 14.241–242, 76 BC
14. Magdala (Taricheae): Home town of Josephus: Josephus Life 155-164; Josephus Wars 2.608–609, 631–638
15. Masada: Founded by Alexander Jannaeus in 78 BC: Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.285
16. Miletus: Josephus Antiquities 14.244–246, decree: 46 BC
17. Modein: home town of the Maccabean dynasty: Josephus Antiquities 13.210-212, 125 BC
18. Rome: Josephus, Antiquities 14.214, Rome 54 BC
19. Sardis: Josephus Antiquities 14.235: decree of 49 BC; Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261: decree: 48 BC
20. Tiberias: Josephus, Life 276-277, 280, 293-295
I. Imperial Roman decrees regulating and protecting synagogues in Josephus:
These are of utmost importance because they show that synagogue worship was ubiquitous and standardized by legal decrees no later then 50 years before Jesus was born and 120 years before 70 AD when the temple of Jerusalem was destroyed:
1. DECREE: Freedom to self-determination in Jewish worship:
a. Alexandria 20 BC: “Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, high priest, and tribune of the people, ordains thus:—(281) Since I am assured that the Jews of Alexandria, called Alexandrians, have been joint inhabitants in the earliest times with the Alexandrians, and have obtained from their kings equal privileges with them, as is evident by the public records that are in their possession, and the edicts themselves; (282) and that after Alexandria had been subjected to our empire by Augustus, their rights and privileges have been preserved by those presidents who have at diverse times been sent thither; and that no dispute had been raised about those rights and privileges, (283) even when Aquila was governor of Alexandria; and that when the Jewish ethnarch was dead, Augustus did not prohibit the making such ethnarchs, as willing that all men should be so subject [to the Romans] as to continue in the observation of their own customs, and not be forced to transgress the ancient rules of their own country religion; (284) but that, in the time of Caius, the Alexandrians became insolent toward the Jews that were among them, which Caius, out of his great madness, and want of understanding, reduced the nation of the Jews very low, because they would not transgress the religious worship of their country, and call him a god: (285) I will, therefore, that the nation of the Jews be not deprived of their rights and privileges, on account of the madness of Caius; but that those rights and privileges, which they formerly enjoyed, be preserved to them, and that they may continue in their own customs. And I charge both parties to take very great care that no troubles may arise after the promulgation of this edict.” (Josephus, Antiquities 19.281-285)
b. Sardis 49 BC: “Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-pretor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow-citizens of Rome, came to me, and demonstrated that they had an assembly of their own, according to the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me, that these might be lawful for them, I give order that these their privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.235)
c. Sardis 48 BC: “The decree of the Sardians. “This decree was made by the senate and people upon the representation of the praetors:—Whereas those Jews who are our fellow-citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the senate, (260) and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their law and their liberty, by senate and people of Rome, they may assemble together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and sacrifices to God. (261) Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose: and that those that take care of the provisions for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating, may be imported into the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261)
d. Delos 54 BC: “Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting. The Jews of Delos, and some other Jews that sojourn there in the presence of your ambassadors, signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship. (214) Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself; (215) for even Caius Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews and these only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers..” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.214-215, decree 54 BC)
e. Ephesus 76 BC: “I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.227, decree: 76 BC, Hyranus II)
2. DECREE: Right of Assembly in distinct synagogue building of their own design:
a. Halicarnassus: (beside Cos) c. 20 BC “The decree of those of Halicarnassus. “When Memnon, the son of Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest on the […] day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: (257) Since we have ever a great regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow the people of the Romans; who are the benefactors of all men, and what they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; (258) we have decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do, may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according to the Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae at the seaside, according to the customs of their forefathers; and if anyone whether he be a magistrate or a private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.256–258, c. 20 BC)
b. Miletus 46 BC “Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians, sendeth greeting. (245) Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the sacred rites received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the earth according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the promulger of your decree, according as your laws require; (246) I would therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleading on both sides, I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of their own customs.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.244–246, decree: 46 BC Miletus)
c. Sardis 49 BC: “Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-pretor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow-citizens of Rome, came to me, and demonstrated that they had an assembly of their own, according to the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me, that these might be lawful for them, I give order that these their privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.235, decree: 49 BC)
d. Sardis 48 BC: “The decree of the Sardians. “This decree was made by the senate and people upon the representation of the praetors:—Whereas those Jews who are our fellow-citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the senate, (260) and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their law and their liberty, by senate and people of Rome, they may assemble together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and sacrifices to God. (261) Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose: and that those that take care of the provisions for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating, may be imported into the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261)
e. Ephesus 76 BC: “I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.227, decree: 76 BC, Hyranus II)
3. DECREE: Right to keep operate a civic court in the synagogue:
a. Sardis 49 BC: “Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-pretor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow-citizens of Rome, came to me, and demonstrated that they had an assembly of their own, according to the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me, that these might be lawful for them, I give order that these their privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.235, decree: 49 BC)
4. DECREE: Right to keep the Sabbath and refrain from work:
a. Halicarnassus: (beside Cos) c. 20 BC “The decree of those of Halicarnassus. “When Memnon, the son of Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest on the […] day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: (257) Since we have ever a great regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow the people of the Romans; who are the benefactors of all men, and what they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; (258) we have decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do, may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according to the Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae at the seaside, according to the customs of their forefathers; and if anyone whether he be a magistrate or a private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.256–258, c. 20 BC)
b. Ephesus 40 BC “The decree of the Ephesians. “When Menophilus was prytanis, on the first day of the month Artemisius, this decree was made by the people:—Nicanor, the son of Euphemus, pronounced it, upon the representation of the praetors. (263) Since the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned Marcus Julius Pomperus, the son of Brutus, the proconsul, that they might be allowed to observe their Sabbaths, and to act in all things according to the customs of their forefathers, without impediment from anybody, the praetor hath granted their petition. (264) Accordingly, it was decreed by the senate and people, that in this affair that concerned the Romans, no one of them should be hindered from keeping the Sabbath day, nor be fined for so doing; but that they may be allowed to do all things according to their own laws.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.262-264, Ephesus 40 BC)
c. Miletus 46 BC: “Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians, sendeth greeting. (245) Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the sacred rites received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the earth according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the promulger of your decree, according as your laws require; (246) I would therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleading on both sides, I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of their own customs.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.244–246, decree: 46 BC)
d. Ephesus 76 BC: “When Artemon was prytanis, on the first day of the month Leneon, Dolabella imperator, to the senate and magistrates, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. (226) Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the ambassador of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear arms, or to travel on the Sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.226, decree: Ephesus 76 BC, Hyranus II)
e. Laodicea 76 BC: “The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius, the son of Caius, the consul sendeth greeting. Sopater, the ambassador of Hyrcanus the high priest, hath delivered us an epistle from thee, whereby he lets us know that certain ambassadors were come from Hyrcanus, the high priest [Hycranus II] of the Jews, and brought an epistle written concerning their nation, (242) wherein they desire that the Jews may be allowed to observe their Sabbaths and other sacred rites, according to the laws of their forefathers, and that they may be under no command, because they are our friends and confederates: and that nobody may injure them in our provinces. Now although the Trallians there present contradicted them, and were not pleased with these decrees, yet didst thou give order that they should be observed, and informed us that thou hadst been desired to write this to us about them.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.241–242 Hyranus II)
5. DECREE: Right to keep kosher food laws “ancestral food”:
a. Miletus 46 BC “Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians, sendeth greeting. (245) Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the sacred rites received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the earth according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the promulger of your decree, according as your laws require; (246) I would therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleading on both sides, I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of their own customs.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.244–246, decree: 46 BC Miletus)
b. Sardis 48 BC: “and that such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose: and that those that take care of the provisions for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating, may be imported into the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.261, 49 AD Sardis)
c. Ephesus 76 BC: “Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the ambassador of Hyrcanus [Hyranus II], the son of Alexander the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear arms, or to travel on the Sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.226, 76 BC Ephesus)
6. DECREE: Right to keep annual Jewish Holy days:
a. Delos 54 BC: “Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting. The Jews of Delos, and some other Jews that sojourn there in the presence of your ambassadors, signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship. (214) Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself; (215) for even Caius Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews and these only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers..” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.213-215, decree 54 BC)
b. Rome 54 BC: “Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, … whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.214, decree 54 BC)
7. DECREE: Right to collect money:
a. Delos 54 BC: “Caius Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews and these only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers..” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.213-215, decree 54 BC)
b. Ephesus 76 BC: “I do therefore grant them a freedom … for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.227, decree: Ephesus 76 BC, Hyranus II)
8. DECREE: Exempt from military service:
a. Ephesus 76 BC: “When Artemon was prytanis, on the first day of the month Leneon, Dolabella imperator, to the senate and magistrates, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. (226) Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the ambassador of Hyrcanus [Hyranus II], the son of Alexander the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear arms, or to travel on the Sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers,—(227) I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction.” 13. (228) And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our nation when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him; but Lucius the consul’s decree ran thus:—“I have at my tribunal set these Jews, who are citizens of Rome, and follow the Jewish religious rites, and yet live at Ephesus, free from going into the army, on account of the superstition they are under.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.225–228, decree: Ephesus 76 BC)
II. Synagogue worship, function and architecture: DETAILS:
A. “Asylum Sanctuary: “no go zones”
1. “for though Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, laid Jerusalem waste and spoiled the temple, yet did those that succeeded him in the kingdom restore all the donations that were made of brass to the Jews of Antioch, and dedicated them to their synagogue [sanctuary]” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.44)
B. “Sabbath meeting place”
1. “but if any be caught stealing their holy books, or their sacred money, whether it be out of the synagogue [Sabbath meeting] or public school, he shall be deemed a sacrilegious person, and his goods shall be brought into the public treasury of the Romans.” (Josephus Antiquities 16.164)
2. “nor do we conceal those injunctions of ours by which we govern our lives, they being memorials of piety, and of a friendly conversation among men. And the seventh day we set apart from labor; it is dedicated to the learning of our customs and laws, we thinking it proper to reflect on them as well as on any [good] thing else, in order to our avoiding of sin.” (Josephus, Antiquities 16.43)
C. Role of Women and children in the Synagogue:
1. 94 BC: “The decree of the Sardians. “This decree was made by the senate and people upon the representation of the praetors:—Whereas those Jews who are our fellow-citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the senate, (260) and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their law and their liberty, by senate and people of Rome, they may assemble [synagogue] together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and sacrifices to God. (261) Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose: and that those that take care of the provisions for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating, may be imported into the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261: decree: 94 BC)
2. Halicarnassus: (beside Cos) : “The decree of those of Halicarnassus. “When Memnon, the son of Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest on the […] day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: (257) Since we have ever a great regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow the people of the Romans; who are the benefactors of all men, and what they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; (258) we have decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do, may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according to the Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae [synagogue] at the seaside, according to the customs of their forefathers; and if anyone whether he be a magistrate or a private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.256-258, c. 30 BC)
D. Mikveh: Pool of Siloam: 3000 souls added to church in Baptism here! Acts 2:41
1. The recently excavated pool of Siloam in Jerusalem features an Olympic size mikveh with two different sets of stairs (500 meters long) that connect the temple to the pool.
a. The Jew would arrive at the temple, then walk down the descent stairs to the pool of Shalom, then immerse in the pool, then put on a white robe, then return to the Temple of Herod using a separate set of stairs (500 meters long, that ran parallel to the descent stairs), back to the temple above.
b. The "pool of Siloam is found 3 times in the Bible at early as 730 BC: Is 8:6, "waters of Shiloah"; Neh 3:15 "Pool of Shelah; Jn 9:7, "pool of Siloam".
2. Josephus calls the pool of Siloam, “Solomon’s Pool” and refers to it 10 times!
a. “But if we go the other way westward, it began at the same place, and extended through a place called “Bethso,” to the gate of the Essenes; and after that it went southward, having its bending above the fountain Siloam, where it also bends again towards the east at Solomon’s pool, and reaches as far as a certain place which they called “Ophlas,” where it was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple.” (Josephus Wars of the Jews 5.145)
b. “Now the Valley of the Cheesemongers, as it was called, and was that which we told you before distinguished the hill of the upper city from that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam; for that is the name of a fountain which hath sweeter water in it, and this in great plenty also.” (Josephus Wars of the Jews 5.140)
c. “accordingly, you know that Siloam, as well as all the other springs that were outside the city, did so far fail, that water was sold by distinct measures; whereas they now have such a great quantity of water for your enemies, as is sufficient not only for drink both for themselves and their cattle, but for watering their gardens also.” (Josephus Wars of the Jews 5.410)
d. “Simon held the upper city, and the great wall as far as Cedron, and as much of the old wall as bent from Siloam to the east, and which went down to the palace of Monobazus, who was king of the Adiabeni, beyond Euphrates; he also held that fountain” (Josephus Wars 5.252)
3. While its original use we not likely connected with spiritual cleansing and the temple of Solomon, it is clear that when Herod the Great remodelled the ancient pool of Siloam in 18 BC, that he was adopting its use to current practice as a Mikveh.
a. Below
is the author excavating stairs that encircled the pool of Siloam. This likely
where the 3000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:41:
4. Josephus tells us one amazing bit of history connected with the Pool of Siloam is how the Romans found 2000 Jews hiding in the drainage ditch below the ascent stairs when Titus destroyed Jerusalem, fulfilling Jesus prophecy of Matthew 24 in 70 AD.
a. “Now this vast multitude is indeed collected out of remote places, but the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in a prison, and the Roman army encompassed the city when it was crowded with inhabitants. Accordingly the multitude of those that therein perished exceeded all the destructions that either men or God ever brought upon the world; for, to speak only of what was publicly known, the Romans slew some of them, some they carried captives, and others they made search for underground, and when they found where they were, they broke up the ground and slew all they met with. There were also found slain there above two thousand persons, partly by their own hands, and partly by one another, but chiefly destroyed by the famine” (Josephus, Wars 6.428-430, 70 AD)
b. In a stunning confirmation of Josephus, when the stairs were excavated in 2006, the very place where the Romans broke through the stairs to kill the hiding Jews below was discovered. Although the valuables had been looted by the Roman soldiers, they many whole Roman cookpots they left were excavated.
5. Pool of Siloam Ascent and Descent Stairs
a. There were two parallel sets of stairs between the pool of Siloam and the Temple of Herod about 500 meters long.
a. The
worshipper would arrived at the temple, take the descent stairs down to the
pool, be immersed, then put on a white robe and take the ascent stairs
(pictured below) back up to the Temple “cleansed of sins”
E. Bible reading, study, teaching and schools:
1. “for he [Moses] did not suffer the guilt of ignorance to go on without punishment, but demonstrated the law to be the best and the most necessary instruction of all others, permitting the people to leave off their other employments, and to assemble together for the hearing of the law, and learning it exactly, and this not once or twice, or oftener, but every week; which thing all the other legislators seem to have neglected.” (Josephus, Against Apion 2.175)
2. “nor do we conceal those injunctions of ours by which we govern our lives, they being memorials of piety, and of a friendly conversation among men. And the seventh day we set apart from labor; it is dedicated to the learning of our customs and laws, we thinking it proper to reflect on them as well as on any [good] thing else, in order to our avoiding of sin.” (Josephus, Antiquities 16.43)
F. Literacy of Jews from schools:
1. “Nay, indeed, the law does not permit us to make festivals at the births of our children, and thereby afford occasion of drinking to excess; but it ordains that the very beginning of our education should be immediately directed to sobriety. It also commands us to bring those children up in learning and to exercise them in the laws, and make them acquainted with the acts of their predecessors, in order to their imitation of them, and that they may be nourished up in the laws from their infancy, and might neither transgress them, nor yet have any pretense for their ignorance of them.” (Against Apion 2.204)
2. Jewish schools: “but if any be caught stealing their holy books, or their sacred money, whether it be out of the synagogue [Sabbath meeting] or public school [synagogue school], he shall be deemed a sacrilegious person, and his goods shall be brought into the public treasury of the Romans.” (Josephus Antiquities 16.164)
G. Temple tax funds collected and sent to the Jerusalem Temple:
1. Agrippa also did himself write, after the manner following, on behalf of the Jews:— “Agrippa, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. I will that the care and custody of the sacred money that is carried to the temple at Jerusalem be left to the Jews of Asia, to do with it according to their ancient custom; (168) and that such as steal that sacred money of the Jews, and fly to a sanctuary, shall be taken thence and delivered to the Jews, by the same law that sacrilegious persons are taken thence. I have also written to Sylvanus the praetor, that no one compel the Jews to come before a judge on the Sabbath day.” (Josephus, Antiquities 16.167-168)
2. “but if any be caught stealing their holy books, or their sacred money, whether it be out of the synagogue [Sabbath meeting].” (Josephus Antiquities 16.164)
3. In 250 BC the Delos synagogue of Samaritans inscription says they sent “first fruits donations” to the temple on Mt. Gerizim.
4. This is exactly what Paul instructed the church to do for the needy
Christians in Jerusalem: 1 Cor 16:1-2
H. Communal meals and food preparation: Lord’s Supper/Passover, unleavened bread ovens: “maẓẓot”
1. REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY: Yearly Jewish Passover is REPLACED by weekly Christian communion:
a. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial meal that remembers Jesus “passing over” our sins with His blood He shed on the cross just like Passover is a memorial meal that remembers the 10th plague of Egypt when the death angel saw the blood on the doors and “passed over” and let them live.
b. PASSOVER MAZZOT BREAD: “Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself; for even Caius Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews and these only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.214-215)
c. COMMUNION UNLEAVENED BREAD: "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly." (1 Corinthians 11:23–29)
d. WEEKLY COMMUNION SERVICE: "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight." (Acts 20:7)
2. Common meals forbidden on synagogue or church property: 1 Corinthians 11:34
a. The early Christians and Jews at their common meals BEFORE or AFTER the Sabbath/Sunday assembly.
b. "If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment." (1 Corinthians 11:34)
c. The first century Christians and Jews DID NOT use their meeting areas as profane food consumption facilities.
d. “The rabbis taught: [Regarding] synagogues: One may not behave in a lightheaded manner in them; one may not eat in them; and one may not drink in them; and may not dress up in them; and one may not stroll in them; and one may not enter them in the [season of the] sun, because of the sun, or in the [season of the] rain, because of rain; and one may not conduct mourning in them for an individual. But one may read [i.e., the Bible] in them; and one may study [i.e., the Mishnah] in them; and one may conduct public mourning there.” (Babylonian Talmud, b. Meg. 4:4, I.1.A–C)
3. SYNAGOGUE KITCHENS: “Mazzot Ovens”
a. Maẓẓot is unleavened bread baked by the Jews in their synagogues. It was important to first century ritual purity.
b. Kitchens in church buildings and synagogues are AUTHORIZED as long as you only use it to bake the “Passover Mazzot” and the “Communion unleavened bread” for the sacred services.
c. It is important to remember that Moses commanded an annual Passover meal. Using the Synagogue for this meal would be as authorized as the Lord’s Supper in the church every Sunday.
d. Non-religious, social, “Common meals” were not eaten inside Synagogues but dining halls were often located directly adjacent or near the worship hall.
e. When Josephus says common suppers, he does not mean a “common meal” like a pot luck for social purposes, but COMMUNAL meals that everyone partook of like the Passover or the Communion in the church. Remember the greek word for “Communion” used for the Lord’s supper means a “communal sharing”.
f. Unleavened bread eaten but not common meals.
g. Be careful to treat the time together as sacred not a party.
h. Several
synagogues had ovens: Masada, Ostia room G.
Archeological Excavation Top plans and Details for Masada
and Ostia
4. Synagogues and first century church assemblies were for SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES ONLY:
a. "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)
b. “The rabbis taught: [Regarding] synagogues: One may not behave in a lightheaded manner in them; one may not eat in them; and one may not drink in them; and may not dress up in them; and one may not stroll in them; and one may not enter them in the [season of the] sun, because of the sun, or in the [season of the] rain, because of rain; and one may not conduct mourning in them for an individual. But one may read [i.e., the Bible] in them; and one may study [i.e., the Mishnah] in them; and one may conduct public mourning there.” (Babylonian Talmud, b. Meg. 4:4, I.1.A–C)
c. “MISHNAH-TRACTATE MEGILLAH 4:4 A. MOREOVER, SAID RABBI JUDAH: A SYNAGOGUE THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED: ONE MAY NOT MOURN IN IT; AND ONE MAY NOT SPREAD OUT ROPES IN IT; AND ONE MAY NOT SPREAD TRAPS IN IT; AND ONE MAY NOT SPREAD FRUIT ON ITS ROOF TO DRY: 1. I:1: The rabbis taught: Regarding synagogues: One may not behave in a lightheaded manner in them; one may not eat in them; and one may not drink in them; and may not dress up in them; and one may not stroll in them; and one may not enter them in the season of the sun, because of the sun, or in the season of the rain, because of rain; and one may not conduct mourning in them for an individual. But one may read i.e., the Bible in them; and one may study the Mishnah in them; and one may conduct public mourning there. Said R. Judah: When? When they are populated; But when they are destroyed, one must leave them alone, and blades of grass grow in them, but one should not pluck them out, because of anguish (T 2:18). a. I:2: The synagogues in Babylonia are built on condition, and even so, one should not conduct oneself lightheadedly in them. b. I:3: And one should not get dressed up there: Said Rava: Sages and their students are permitted to do so, as said R. Joshua ben Levi: What is the meaning of the “house of the rabbis”? The home of the rabbis. c. I:4: and one may not enter them in the season of the sun because of the sun, or in the season of the rain, because of rain: Similarly, Ravina and Rav Ada bar Matana were standing and asking Rava a question. A downpour came; they entered the synagogue.” (Babylonian Talmud, b. Meg. 4:4, I.1–I.5)
d. “A And further did R. Judah state, “A synagogue which was destroyed—they do not (1) carry out a lamentation for the dead in it. B “And they do not (2) twist ropes in it, C “and they do not (3) spread out nets [to dry] in it, D “and they do not (4) spread out produce on its roof, E “and they do not (5) make it into a public shortcut. F “For it is written, I will bring your sanctuaries to desolation (Lev. 26:31)— G “they remain sanctified even when they are desolated. H “If grass grew up in it, one should not cut it, because of grief.”” (Mishnah, m. Megilla 3:3)
e. “Said R. Hiyya bar Ba, “R. Yohanan cursed the women who spread out their clothing [to dry] over the airspace of a schoolhouse.” [III:1 A] [With reference to M. 3:3/I,] Samuel said, “If one entered a synagogue not in order to use it as a shortcut, it is permitted to use it as a shortcut.” [III:2 A] It has been taught [in the Tosefta’s version]: Synagogues―they do not behave with them frivolously. [B] One should not go into them on a hot day on account of the heat, or on a cold because of the cold, or on a rainy day because of the rain. [C] They to not eat or drink in them, nor to they sleep in them, nor do they take a stroll in them, nor to they derive benefit from them. [D] But they read [Scripture] in them, repeat [Mishnah-traditions] in them, and expound [biblical lessons] in them [T. Meg. 2:18A–D]. [III:3 A] R. Joshua b. Levi said, “Synagogues and schoolhouses belong to sages and their disciples.” (Jerusalem Talmud, y. Meg. 3:3, II.1.B–III.3.A)
5. SOCIAL GOSPEL FORBIDDEN: Using the church for social, entertainment or secular reasons violates law:
a. These principles are true if the synagogue/church is owned, rented or in a public park.
b. Synagogues and churches are not a place for entertainment and jokes: “One may not behave in a lightheaded manner in them” (b. Meg. 4:4)
c. Synagogues and churches are not places for fashion statements. The focus is on the inward spiritual not the outward carnal: “may not dress up in them” (b. Meg. 4:4)
d. Synagogues and churches are places of public funerals but not private mourning. Again the focus is on collective no individual activity: “one may not conduct mourning in them for an individual … and one may conduct public mourning there [funeral service]” (b. Meg. 4:4)
e. Synagogues and churches are not to be used for relief of public social assistance “one may not enter them in the [season of the] sun, because of the sun, or in the [season of the] rain, because of rain” (b. Meg. 4:4)
f. “Synagogues and churches are not to be used for secular activities: “And they do not (2) twist ropes in it, C “and they do not (3) spread out nets [to dry] in it, D “and they do not (4) spread out produce on its roof” (Mishnah, m. Megilla 3:3)
6. “USING THE SYNAGOGUE ONLY A FEW HOURS A WEEK BAD STEWARDSHIP OF THE LORD’S MONEY”
a. Synagogues were unused and empty most of the time just like churches
b. These rules were in force in early synagogues in spite of those who argued “the Lord’s money was not being used to its fullest”.
c. Synagogues and church buildings are for the sacred not the common.
7. We must have Bible authority for everything we do in the church:
a. We have no authority today in the church to use the Lord’s money for church kitchen’s used to prepare pot luck’s and common meals.
b. We do have authority for church kitchens used exclusively for preparing the Lord’s supper by baking the unleavened bread in a church owned oven and keeping the grape juice cold in a church owned fridge.
c. A church building is for prayer, Bible reading, teaching, singing, communion and taking a freewill offering of money. Anything more than this is sin.
I. Town hall type civic meetings to resolve religious persecution:
1. 66 AD: Tiberias synagogue: “When I was informed of these affairs, I determined to go to the city of Tiberias in the morning. Accordingly, on the next day, about the first hour of the day, I came from Taricheae, and found the multitude already assembled in the Proseucha; but on what [civic] account they were gotten together, those that were assembled did not know.” (Josephus, Life 280, Tiberius 66 AD)
2. 200 AD: “A bolt with a knob on its end— B R. Eleazar prohibits. C And R. Yose permits. D Said R. Eleazar, M’SH B: “In the synagogue/great assembly [Greek, knesset] in Tiberias they permitted [using it on the Sabbath], E “until Rabban Gamaliel and elders came and prohibited it for them.” F R. Yose says, “They treated it as prohibited. Rabban Gamaliel and the elders came and permitted it for them.” (Mishnah m. 'Erub. 10:10 A–F, 200 AD)
3.
Tiberias Moses Seat:
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City |
Other literary |
Excavation |
Inscription |
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1 |
Alexandria |
20 BC |
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2 |
Antioch, Syria |
70 AD |
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3 |
Caesarea |
70 AD |
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4 |
Cana |
40 BC |
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5 |
Delos |
54 BC |
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6 |
Dor |
41 AD |
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7 |
Ephesus |
76 BC |
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8 |
Gamla |
76 BC |
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9 |
Gush Halav |
78 BC |
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10 |
Halicarnassus |
20 BC |
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11 |
Jericho |
2 AD |
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12 |
Jerusalem |
169 BC |
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13 |
Laodicea |
76 BC |
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14 |
Magdala |
66 BC |
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15 |
Masada |
78 BC |
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16 |
Miletus |
46 BC |
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17 |
Modein |
132 BC |
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18 |
Rome |
54 BC |
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19 |
Sardis |
49 BC |
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20 |
Tiberias |
66 BC |
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1. Alexandria:
a. Alexandria 20 BC: “Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, high priest, and tribune of the people, ordains thus:—(281) Since I am assured that the Jews of Alexandria, called Alexandrians, have been joint inhabitants in the earliest times with the Alexandrians, and have obtained from their kings equal privileges with them, as is evident by the public records that are in their possession, and the edicts themselves; (282) and that after Alexandria had been subjected to our empire by Augustus, their rights and privileges have been preserved by those presidents who have at diverse times been sent thither; and that no dispute had been raised about those rights and privileges, (283) even when Aquila was governor of Alexandria; and that when the Jewish ethnarch was dead, Augustus did not prohibit the making such ethnarchs, as willing that all men should be so subject [to the Romans] as to continue in the observation of their own customs, and not be forced to transgress the ancient rules of their own country religion; (284) but that, in the time of Caius, the Alexandrians became insolent toward the Jews that were among them, which Caius, out of his great madness, and want of understanding, reduced the nation of the Jews very low, because they would not transgress the religious worship of their country, and call him a god: (285) I will, therefore, that the nation of the Jews be not deprived of their rights and privileges, on account of the madness of Caius; but that those rights and privileges, which they formerly enjoyed, be preserved to them, and that they may continue in their own customs. And I charge both parties to take very great care that no troubles may arise after the promulgation of this edict.” (Josephus, Antiquities 19.281-285)
2. Antioch, Syria: 167 BC
a. This is Paul’s home base church where he started and ended his three missionary journeis:
b. “for though Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, laid Jerusalem waste and spoiled the temple, yet did those that succeeded him in the kingdom restore all the donations that were made of brass to the Jews of Antioch, and dedicated them to their synagogue [synagogue]; and granted them the enjoyment of equal privileges of citizens with the Greeks themselves; (45) and as the succeeding kings treated them after the same manner, they both multiplied to a great number, and adorned their temple gloriously by fine ornaments, and with great magnificence, in the use of what has been given them. They also made proselytes of a great many of the Greeks perpetually, and thereby, after sort, brought them to be a portion of their own body.” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.44–45, 167 BC)
3. Caesarea
a. 66 AD: “Now at this time it happened that the Grecians at Caesarea had been too hard for the Jews, and had obtained of Nero the government of the city, and had brought the judicial determination: at the same time began the war, in the twelfth year of the reign of Nero, and the seventeenth of the reign of Agrippa, in the month of Artemissus [Jyar]. (285) Now the occasion of this war was by no means proportionable to those heavy calamities which it brought upon us; for the Jews that dwelt at Caesarea had a synagogue near the place, whose owner was a certain Cesarean Greek; the Jews had endeavored frequently to have purchased the possession of the place, and had offered many times its value for its price; (286) but as the owner overlooked their offers, so did he raise other buildings upon the place, in way of affront to them, and made workingshops of them, and left them but a narrow passage, and such as was very troublesome for them to go along to their synagogue; whereupon the warmer part of the Jewish youth went hastily to the workmen, and forbade them to build there; (287) but as Florus would not permit them to use force, the great men of the Jews, with John the publican, being in the utmost distress what to do, persuaded Florus, with the offer of eight talents, to hinder the work. (288) He then, being intent upon nothing but getting money, promised he would do for them all they desired of him, and then went away from Caesarea to Sebaste, and left the sedition to take its full course, as if he had sold a license to the Jews to fight it out. Now on the next day, which was the seventh day of the week, when the Jews were crowding apace to their synagogue, a certain man of Caesarea, of a seditious temper, got an earthen vessel, and set it, with the bottom upward, at the entrance of that synagogue, and sacrificed birds. This thing provoked the Jews to an incurable degree, because their laws were affronted, and the place was polluted; (290) whereupon the sober and moderate part of the Jews thought it proper to have recourse to their governors again, while the seditious part, and such as were in the fervor of their youth, were vehemently inflamed to fight. The seditious also among [the Gentiles of] Caesarea stood ready for the same purpose, for they had, by agreement, sent the man to sacrifice beforehand [as ready to support him] so that it soon came to blows. (291) Hereupon Jucundus, the master of the horse, who was ordered to prevent the fight, came thither, and took away the earthen vessel, and endeavored to put a stop to the sedition; but when he was overcome by the violence of the people of Caesarea, the Jews caught up their books of the law, and retired to Narbata, which was a place to them belonging, distant from Caesarea sixty furlongs.” (Josephus, Wars 2.284-291, 66 AD)
4. Cana:
a. Home town of Antigonus II: Josephus, Wars 1.333-334, 40-37 BC. Josephus’ home town before 66 AD: Josephus, Life 86.
b. “Accordingly, I [Josephus] did not hinder him, as having no suspicion of any wicked designs of his; and I wrote to those to whom I had committed the administration of the affairs of Tiberias by name, that they should provide a lodging for John, and for such as should come with him, and should procure him what necessaries soever he should stand in need of. Now at this time my [Josephus] abode was in a village of Galilee, which is named Cana.” (Josephus, Life 86)
c. “Now as Antigonus [II, 40-37 BC]had a mind to appear to exceed Herod not only in the courage but in the number of his men, he sent Pappus, one of his companions, with an army against Samaria, (334) whose fortune it was to oppose Macheras. But Herod overran the enemies’ country, and demolished five little cities, and destroyed two thousand men that were in them; and burned their houses, and then returned to his camp; but his headquarters were at the village called Cana.” (Josephus, Wars 1.333-334, 40-37 BC)
5. Delos: 54 BC
a. (213) “Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting. The Jews of Delos, and some other Jews that sojourn there in the presence of your ambassadors, signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship. (214) Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself; (215) for even Caius Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews and these only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers. (216) Accordingly, when I forbid other Bacchanal rioters, I permit these Jews to gather themselves together, according to the customs and laws of their forefathers, and to persist therein. It will be therefore good for you, that if you have made any decree against these our friends and confederates, to abrogate the same, by reason of their virtue, and kind disposition towards us.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.213–216, Delos 54 BC)
b. Mt. Gerizim temple destroyed in 128 BC: “(254) But when Hyrcanus heard of the death of Antiochus he presently made an expedition against the cities of Syria, hoping to find them destitute of fighting men, and of such as were able to defend them. (255) However, it was not till the sixth month that he took Medaba, and that not without the greatest distress of his army. After this he took Samega, and the neighboring places; and, besides these, Shechem and Gerizzim (Mt. Gerizim), and the nation of the Cutheans, (256) who dwelt at the temple which resembled that temple which was at Jerusalem, and which Alexander permitted Sanballat, the general of his army, to build for the sake of Manasseh, who was son-in-law to Jadua the high priest, as we have formerly related; which temple was now deserted two hundred years after it was built.” (Josephus Antiquities 13.254–256, 128 BC)
c. wreath: “The high priest’s mitre was the same that we described before, and was wrought like that of all the other priests; above which there was another, with swathes of blue embroidered, and round it was a golden crown polished, of three rows, one above another; out of which arose a cup of gold, which resembled the herb which we call Saccharus: but those Greeks that are skilful in botany call it Hyoscyamus.” (Josephus, Antiquities 3.172)
6. Dor:
a. After Caligula, attempted to put a pagan statue in the Jerusalem Temple in 40-41 BC, Claudius issued a decree granting equal rights to the Jews as Roman citizens and the freedom to worship in synagogues etc. This angered a small group of non-Jewish young men in Dor who retaliated by desecrating the Jewish Synagogue in Dor by setting up a statue of Caesar. A letter was sent to the rulers of Dor instructing them to punish the youths and allow the Jews to worship in peace in the ways of their fathers.
b. “But after a very little while the young men of Doris [Dor], preferring a rash attempt before piety and being naturally bold and insolent, carried a statue of Caesar into a synagogue of the Jews, and erected it there. (301) This procedure of theirs greatly provoked Agrippa; for it plainly tended to the dissolution of the laws of his country. So he came without delay to Publius Petronius, who was then president of Syria, and accused the people of Doris. (302) Nor did he less resent what was done than did Agrippa; for he judged it a piece of impiety to transgress the laws that regulate the actions of men. So he wrote the following letter to the people of Doris in an angry strain: (303) “Publius Petronius, the president under Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, to the magistrates of Doris, ordains as follows: (304) Since some of you have had the boldness, or madness rather, after the edict of Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, was published, for permitting the Jews to observe the laws of their country, not to obey the same, (305) but have acted in entire opposition thereto, as forbidding the Jews to assemble together in the synagogue, by removing Caesar’s statue, and setting it up therein, and thereby offended not only the Jews, but the emperor himself, whose statue is more commodiously placed in his own temple than in a foreign one, where is the place of assembling together; while it is but a part of natural justice, that everyone should have the power over the place belonging peculiarly to themselves, according to the determination of Caesar,” (Josephus, Antiquities 19.300-305)
7. Ephesus:
a. “When Artemon was prytanis, on the first day of the month Leneon, Dolabella imperator, to the senate and magistrates, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. (226) Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the ambassador of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear arms, or to travel on the Sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers,—(227) I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction.” 13. (228) And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our nation when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him; but Lucius the consul’s decree ran thus:—“I have at my tribunal set these Jews, who are citizens of Rome, and follow the Jewish religious rites, and yet live at Ephesus, free from going into the army, on account of the superstition they are under.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.225–228, decree: 43 BC)
b. “The decree of the Ephesians. “When Menophilus was prytanis, on the first day of the month Artemisius, this decree was made by the people:—Nicanor, the son of Euphemus, pronounced it, upon the representation of the praetors. (263) Since the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned Marcus Julius Pomperus, the son of Brutus, the proconsul, that they might be allowed to observe their Sabbaths, and to act in all things according to the customs of their forefathers, without impediment from anybody, the praetor hath granted their petition. (264) Accordingly, it was decreed by the senate and people, that in this affair that concerned the Romans, no one of them should be hindered from keeping the Sabbath day, nor be fined for so doing; but that they may be allowed to do all things according to their own laws.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.262-264, Ephesus 40 BC)
c. “Agrippa also did himself write, after the manner following, on behalf of the Jews:— “Agrippa, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. I will that the care and custody of the sacred money that is carried to the temple at Jerusalem be left to the Jews of Asia, to do with it according to their ancient custom; (168) and that such as steal that sacred money of the Jews, and fly to a sanctuary, shall be taken thence and delivered to the Jews, by the same law that sacrilegious persons are taken thence. I have also written to Sylvanus the praetor, that no one compel the Jews to come before a judge on the Sabbath day.” (Josephus, Antiquities 16.167-168)
a. “Certainly, in his decree forbidding the theft of sacred books and sacred money, Augustus treated the Jewish houses of prayer like temples - in the ancient world , money in temples was supposed to be inviolate. Agrippa 's order to Ephesus, in the same collection of decrees, states that men who steal the sacred money of the Jews and take refuge in places of asylum may be dragged out and turned over to the Jews, thus being treated in the same way as were temple robbers.” (Common Judaism and the Synagogue in the First Century, E. P Sanders, p6)
8. Gamla:
a. Rebel base of Judas of Galilee 66 AD
a. b. “THE SIEGE AND TAKING OF GAMALA “Now all those Galileans who, after the taking of Jotapata, had revolted from the Romans, did, upon the conquest of Taricheae, deliver themselves up to them again. And the Romans received all the fortresses and the cities, excepting Gischala and those that had seized upon mount Tabor; (2) Gamala [Gamla] also, which is a city over against Taricheae, but on the other side of the lake, conspired with them. This city lay upon the borders of Agrippa’s kingdom, as also did Sogana and Seleucia. And these were both parts of Gaulanitis; for Sogana was a part of that called the Upper Gaulanitis, as was Gamala of the Lower; (3) while Seleucia was situated at the lake Semechonitis, which lake is thirty furlongs in breadth, and sixty in length; its marshes reach as far as the place Daphne, which in other respects is a delicious place, and hath such fountains as supply water to what is called Little Jordan, under the temple of the golden calf, where it is sent into Great Jordan. (4) Now Agrippa had united Sogana and Seleucia by leagues to himself, at the very beginning of the revolt from the Romans; yet did not Gamala accede to them, but relied upon the difficulty of the place, which was greater than that of Jotapata, (5) for it was situated upon a rough ridge of a high mountain, with a kind of neck in the middle: where it begins to ascend, it lengthens itself, and declines as much downward before as behind, insomuch that it is like a camel in figure, from whence it is so named, although the people of the country do not pronounce it accurately. (6) Both on the side and the face there are abrupt parts divided from the rest, and ending in vast deep valleys; yet are the parts behind, where they are joined to the mountain, somewhat easier of ascent than the other; but then the people belonging to the place have cut an oblique ditch there, and made that hard to be ascended also. (7) On its acclivity, which is straight, houses are built, and those very thick and close to one another. The city also hangs so strangely, that it looks as if it would fall down upon itself, so sharp is it at the top. (8) It is exposed to the south; and its southern mount, which reaches to an immense height, was in the nature of a citadel to the city; and above that was a precipice, not walled about, but extending itself to an immense depth. There was also a spring of water within the wall, at the utmost limits of the city. 2. (9) As this city was naturally hard to be taken, so had Josephus, by building a wall about it, made it still stronger, as also by ditches and mines under ground. (10) The people that were in it were made more bold by the nature of the place than the people of Jotapata had been, but it had much fewer fighting men in it; and they had such a confidence in the situation of the place, that they thought the enemy could not be too many for them; for the city had been filled with those that had fled to it for safety, on account of its strength; on which account they had been able to resist those whom Agrippa sent to besiege it for seven months together. 3. (11) But Vespasian removed from Emmaus, where he had last pitched his camp before the city Tiberias (now Emmaus, if it be interpreted, may be rendered “a warm bath,” for therein is a spring of warm water, useful for healing) and came to Gamala; (12) yet was its situation such that he was not able to encompass it all round with soldiers to watch it; but where the places were practicable, he set men to watch it, and seized upon the mountain which was over it. (13) And as the legions, according to their usual custom, were fortifying their camp upon that mountain, he began to cast up banks at the bottom, at the part towards the east, where the highest tower of the whole city was, and where the fifteenth legion pitched their camp; while the fifth legion did duty over against the midst of the city, and whilst the tenth legion filled up the ditches and valleys. (14) Now at this time it was that as king Agrippa was come nigh the walls, and was endeavoring to speak to those that were on the walls about a surrender, he was hit with a stone on his right elbow by one of the slingers; (15) he was then immediately surrounded with his own men. But the Romans were excited to set about the siege, by their indignation, on the king’s account, and by their fear on their own account, (16) as concluding that those men would omit no kinds of barbarity against foreigners and enemies, who were so enraged against one of their own nation, and one that advised them to nothing but what was for their own advantage. 4. (17) Now when the banks were finished, which was done on the sudden, both by the multitude of hands, and by their being accustomed to such work, they brought the machines; (18) but Chares and Joseph, who were the most potent men of the city, set their armed men in order, though already in a fright, because they did not suppose that the city could hold out long, since they had not a sufficient quantity, either of water, or of other necessaries. (19) However, these their leaders encouraged them, and brought them out upon the wall, and for a while indeed they drove away those that were bringing the machines; but when those machines threw darts and stones at them, they retired into the city; (20) then did the Romans bring battering rams to three several places, and made the wall shake [and fall]. They then poured in over the parts of the wall that were thrown down, with a mighty sound of trumpets and noise of armor, and with a shout of the soliders, and broke in by force upon those that were in the city; (21) but these men fell upon the Romans for some time, at their first entrance, and prevented their going any farther, and with great courage beat them back; (22) and the Romans were so overpowered by the greater multitude of the people, who beat them on every side, that they were obliged to run into the upper parts of the city. Whereupon the people turned about, and fell upon their enemies, who had attacked them and thrust them down to the lower parts, and as they were distressed by the narrowness and difficulty of the place, slew them; (23) and as these Romans could neither beat those back that were above them, nor escape the force of their own men that were forcing their way forward, they were compelled to fly into their enemies’ houses, which were low; (24) but these houses being thus full of soldiers, whose weight they could not bear, fell down suddenly; and when one house fell, it shook down a great many of those that were under it, as did those do to such as were under them. (25) By this means a vast number of the Romans perished; for they were so terribly distressed, that although they saw the houses subsiding, they were compelled to leap upon the tops of them; so that a great many were ground to powder by these ruins, and a great many of those that got from under them lost some of their limbs, but still a greater number were suffocated by the dust that arose from those ruins. (26) The people of Gamala supposed this to be an assistance afforded them by God, and without regarding what damage they suffered, they pressed forward, and thrust the enemy upon the tops of their houses; and when they stumbled in the sharp and narrow streets, and were perpetually tumbling down, they threw their stones or darts at them, and slew them. (27) Now the very ruins afforded them stones enough; and for iron weapons, the dead men of the enemy’s side afforded them what they wanted; for drawing the swords of those that were dead, they made use of them to dispatch such as were only half dead; (28) nay, there were a great number who, upon their falling down from the tops of the houses, stabbed themselves, and died after that manner; (29) nor indeed was it easy for those that were beaten back to fly away; for they were so unacquainted with the ways, and the dust was so thick, that they wandered about without knowing one another, and fell down dead among the crowd. 5. (30) Those therefore that were able to find the ways out of the city retired. (31) But now Vespasian always staid among those that were hard set; for he was deeply affected with seeing the ruins of the city falling upon his army, and forgot to take care of his own preservation. He went up gradually towards the highest parts of the city before he was aware, and was left in the midst of dangers, having only a very few with him; (32) for even his son Titus was not with him at that time, having been then sent into Syria to Mucianus. (33) However, he thought it not safe to fly, nor did he esteem it a fit thing for him to do; but calling to mind the actions he had done from his youth, and recollecting his courage, as if he had been excited by a divine fury, he covered himself and those that were with him with their shields, and formed a testudo over both their bodies and their armor, (34) and bore up against the enemy’s attacks, who came running down from the top of the city, and without showing any dread at the multitude of the men or of their darts, he endured all, until the enemy took notice of that divine courage that was within him, and remitted of their attacks; (35) and when they pressed less zealously upon him, he retired, though without showing his back to them, till he was gotten out of the walls of the city. (36) Now a great number of the Romans fell in this battle, among whom was Ebutius, the decurion, a man who appeared not only in this engagement, wherein he fell, but everywhere, and in former engagements, to be of the truest courage, and one that had done very great mischief to the Jews. (37) But there was a centurion, whose name was Gallus, who, during this disorder, being encompassed about, he and ten other soldiers privately crept into the house of a certain person, (38) where he heard them talking at supper what the people intended to do against the Romans, or about themselves (for both the man himself and those with him were Syrians). So he got up in the nighttime, and cut all their throats, and escaped, together with his soldiers, to the Romans. 6. (39) And now Vespasian comforted his army, which was much dejected, by reflecting on their ill success, and because they had never before fallen into such a calamity, and besides this because they were greatly ashamed that they had left their general alone in great dangers. (40) As to what concerned himself, he avoided to say anything, that he might by no means seem to complain of it; but he said that “we ought to bear manfully what usually falls out in war, and this, by considering what the nature of war is, and how it can never be that we must conquer without bloodshed on our own side, for there stands about us that fortune which is of its own nature mutable; (41) that while they had killed so many ten thousands of the Jews, they had now paid their share of the reckoning to fate; (42) and as it is the part of weak people to be too much puffed up with good success, so is it the part of cowards to be too much affrighted at that which is ill; for the change from the one to the other is sudden on both sides; and he is the best warrior who is of a sober mind under misfortunes, that he may continue in that temper, and cheerfully recover what hath been lost formerly; (43) and as for what had now happened, it was neither owing to their own effeminacy nor to the valor of the Jews, but the difficulty of the place was the occasion of their advantage, and of our disappointment. (44) Upon reflecting on which matter one might blame your zeal as perfectly ungovernable; for when the enemy had retired to their highest fastness, you ought to have restrained yourselves, and not, by presenting yourselves at the top of the city, to be exposed to dangers; but upon your having obtained the lower parts of the city, you ought to have provoked those that had retired thither to a safe and settled battle; whereas, in rushing so hastily upon victory, you took no care of your own safety. (45) But this incautiousness in war, and this madness of zeal, is not a Roman maxim. While we perform all that we attempt by skill and good order, that procedure is only the part of barbarians, and is what the Jews chiefly support themselves by. (46) We ought therefore to return to our own virtue, and to be rather angry than any longer dejected at this unlucky misfortune; (47) and let everyone seek for his own consolation from his own hand; for by this means he will avenge those that have been destroyed, and punish those that have killed them. (48) For myself, I will endeavor, as I have now done, to go first before you against your enemies in every engagement, and to be the last that retires from it.” 7. (49) So Vespasian encouraged his army by this speech; but for the people of Gamala, it happened that they took courage for a little while, upon such great and unaccountable success as they had had. (50) But when they considered with themselves that they had now no hopes of any terms of accommodation, and reflecting upon it that they could not get away, and that their provisions began already to be short, they were exceedingly cast down, and their courage failed them; (51) yet did they not neglect what might be for their preservation, so far as they were able, but the most courageous among them guarded those parts of the wall that were beaten down, while the more infirm did the same to the rest of the wall that still remained round the city. (52) And as the Romans raised their banks, and attempted to get into the city a second time, a great many of them fled out of the city through impracticable valleys, where no guards were placed, as also through subterraneous caverns; (53) while those that were afraid of being caught, and for that reason staid in the city, perished for want of food; for what food they had was brought together from all quarters, and reserved for the fighting men. 8. (54) And these were the hard circumstances the people of Gamala were in. But now Vespasian went about other work by the by, during this siege, and that was to subdue those that had seized upon Mount Tabor, a place that lies in the middle between the great plain and Scythopolis, (55) whose top is elevated as high as thirty furlongs, and is hardly to be ascended on its north side; its top is a plain of twenty-six furlongs, and all encompassed with a wall. (56) Now, Josephus erected this so long a wall in forty days’ time, and furnished it with other materials, and with water from below, for the inhabitants only made use of rain water; (57) as therefore there was a great multitude of people gotten together upon this mountain, Vespasian sent Placidus, with six hundred horsemen, thither. (58) Now, as it was impossible for him to ascend the mountain, he invited many of them to peace, by the offer of his right hand for their security, and of his intercession for them. (59) Accordingly they came down, but with a treacherous design, as well as he had the like treacherous design upon them on the other side; for Placidus spoke mildly to them as aiming to take them he got them into the plain; they also came down, as complying with his proposals, but it was in order to fall upon him when he was not aware of it: (60) however, Placidus’s strategem was too hard for theirs; for when the Jews began to fight, he pretended to run away, and when they were in pursuit of the Romans, he enticed them a great way along the plain, and then made his horsemen turn back; whereupon he beat them, and slew a great number of them, and cut off the retreat of the rest of the multitude, and hindered their return. (61) So they left Tabor, and fled to Jerusalem, while the people of the country came to terms with him, for their water failed them, and so they delivered up the mountain and themselves to Placidus. 9. (62) But of the people of Gamala, those that were of the bolder sort fled away and hid themselves, while the more infirm perished by famine; (63) but the men of war sustained the siege till the two-and-twentieth day of the month Hyperberetaeus [Tisri], when three soldiers of the fifteenth legion, about the morning watch, got under a high tower that was near, and undermined it without making any noise; (64) nor when they either came to it, which was in the nighttime, nor when they were under it, did those that guarded it perceive them. The soldiers then, upon their coming, avoided making a noise, and when they had rolled away five of its strongest stones, they went away hastily; (65) whereupon the tower fell down on a sudden, with a great noise, and its guard fell headlong with it; so that those that kept guard at other places, were under such disturbance, that they ran away; (66) the Romans also slew many of those that ventured to oppose them, among whom was Joseph, who was slain by a dart, as he was running away over that part of the wall that was broken down: (67) but as those that were in the city were greatly affrighted at the noise, they ran hither and thither, and great consternation fell upon them, as though all the enemy had fallen in at once upon them. (68) Then it was that Chares, who was ill, and under the physicians’ hands, gave up the ghost, the fear he was in greatly contributing to make his distemper fatal to him. (69) But the Romans so well remembered their former ill success, that they did not enter the city till the twenty-third day of the forementioned month. 10. (70) At which time Titus, who was now returned, out of the indignation he had at the destruction the Romans had undergone while he was absent, took two hundred chosen horsemen, and some footmen with him, and entered without noise into the city. (71) Now, as the watch perceived that he was coming, they made a noise, and betook themselves to their arms; and as this his entrance was presently known to those that were in the city, some of them caught hold of their children and their wives, and drew them after them, and fled away to the citadel, with lamentations and cries, while others of them went to meet Titus, and were killed perpetually; (72) but so many of them as were hindered from running up to the citadel, not knowing what in the world to do, fell among the Roman guards, while the groans of those that were killed were prodigiously great everywhere, and blood ran down over all the lower parts of the city, from the upper. (73) But then Vespasian himself came to his assistance against those that had fled to the citadel, and brought his whole army with him; (74) now this upper part of the city was every way rocky, and difficult of ascent, and elevated to a vast altitude, and very full of people on all sides, and encompassed with precipices, (75) whereby the Jews cut off those that came up to them, and did much mischief to others by their darts and the large stones which they rolled down upon them, while they were themselves so high that the enemy’s darts could hardly reach them. (76) However, there arose such a divine storm against them as was instrumental to their destruction; this carried the Roman darts upon them, and made those which they threw return back, and drove them obliquely away from them: (77) nor could the Jews indeed stand upon their precipices, by reason of the violence of the wind, having nothing that was stable to stand upon, nor could they see those that were ascending up to them; (78) so the Romans got up and surrounded them, and some they slew before they could defend themselves, and others as they were delivering up themselves; and the remembrance of those that were slain at their former entrance into the city increased their rage against them now; (79) a great number also of those that were surrounded on every side, and despaired of escaping, threw their children and their wives, and themselves also, down the precipices, into the valley beneath, which, near the citadel, had been dug hollow to a vast depth; (80) but so it happened, that the anger of the Romans appeared not to be so extravagant as was the madness of those that were now taken, while the Romans slew but four thousand, whereas the number of those that had thrown themselves down was found to be five thousand: (81) nor did anyone escape except two women, who were the daughters of Philip, and Philip himself was the son of a certain eminent man called Jacimus, who had been general of king Agrippa’s army; (82) and these did therefore escape, because they lay concealed from the sight of the Romans when the city was taken, for otherwise they spared not so much as the infants, of whom many were flung down by them from the citadel. (83) And thus was Gamala taken on the twenty-third day of the month Hyperberetaeus [Tisri], whereas the city had first revolted on the twenty-fourth day of the month Gorpiaeus [Elul]. (Josephus Wars of the Jews 4.1-83)
b. “and besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews, as we have shown in a foregoing book. The names of those sons were James and Simon, whom Alexander commanded to be crucified” (Josephus, Antiquities 20.102)
c. Four sects, origin of Zealots: “And now Archelaus’s part of Judea was reduced into a province, and Coponious, one of the equestrian order among the Romans, was sent as a procurator, having the power of [life and] death put into his hands by Caesar. (118) Under his administration it was that a certain Galilean, whose name was Judas, prevailed with his countrymen to revolt; and said they were cowards if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans, and would, after God, submit to mortal men as their lords. This man was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own, and was not at all like the rest of those their leaders. (119) For there are three philosophical sects among the Jews. The followers of the first of whom are the Pharisees; of the second the Sadducces; and the third sect, who pretends to a severer discipline, and called Essenes.” (Josephus Wars 2.117-119)
d. “In the meantime one Manahem, the son of Judas, that was called the Galilean (who was a very cunning sophister, and had formerly reproached the Jews under Cyrenius, that after God they were subject to the Romans) took some of the men of note with him, and retired to Masada,” (Josephus Wars 2.433)
e. Attempted appointment of Judas’ brother to lead new revolt: “And when this calamity of the Jews was become so great, as they had never had experience of the like since their return out of Babylon, those that remained of the companions of Judas, seeing that the nation was about to be destroyed after a miserable manner, came to his brother Jonathan [successor to Judas Maccabeus: 160-143 BC], and desired him that he would imitate his brother, and that care which he took of his countrymen, for whose liberty in general he died also; and that he would not permit the nation to be without a governor, especially in those destructive circumstances wherein it now was.” (Josephus, Antiquities 13.5)
f. Sect of the Zealots: “Moreover, Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus’s money; (3) but the Jews, although at the beginning they took the report of a taxation heinously, yet did they leave off any farther opposition to it, by the persuasion of Joazar, who was the son of Boethus, and high priest. So they, being over-persuaded by Joazar’s words, gave an account of their estates, without any dispute about it; (4) yet there was one Judas, a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala, who, taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty: (5) as if they could procure them happiness and security for what they possessed, and an assured enjoyment of a still greater good, which was that of the honor and glory they would thereby acquire for magnanimity. They also said that God would not otherwise be assisting to them, than upon their joining with one another in such counsels as might be successful, and for their own advantage; and this especially, if they would set about great exploits, and not grow weary in executing the same; (6) so men received what they said with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. All sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; (7) one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends, who used to alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murders of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; (8) whence arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their own people (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might be left), and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us, reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemy’s fire. (9) Such were the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to destruction, which these men occasioned by thus conspiring together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundation of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before unacquainted withal; (10) concerning which I shall discourse a little, and this the rather, because the infection which spread thence among the younger sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to destruction. (Josephus, Antiquities 18.2-10)
g. Three main sects: “The Jews had for a great while three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essenes, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees; of which sects although I have already spoken in the second book of the Jewish War, yet will I a little touch upon them now.” (Josephus, Antiquities 18.11)
h. Doctrine of Pharisees: “Now, for the Pharisees, they live meanly, and despise delicacies in diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and what that prescribes to them as good for them, they do; and they think they ought earnestly to strive to observe reason’s dictates for practice. They also pay a respect to such as are in years; nor are they so bold as to contradict them in anything which they have introduced; (13) and, when they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since their notion is, that it hath pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of men can act virtuously or viciously. (14) They also believe that souls have an immortal vigor in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again; (15) on account of which doctrines, they are able greatly to persuade the body of the people; and whatsoever they do about divine worship, prayers, and sacrifices, they perform them according to their direction; insomuch that the cities gave great attestations to them on account of their entire virtuous conduct, both in the actions of their lives and their discourses also.” (Josephus, Antiquities 18.11-15)
i. Doctrine of Sadducees: “But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies; nor do they regard the observation of anything besides what the law enjoins them; for they think it an instance of virtue to dispute with those teachers of philosophy whom they frequent; (17) but this doctrine is received but by a few, yet by those still of the greatest dignity; but they are able to do almost nothing of themselves; for when they become magistrates, as they are unwillingly and by force sometimes obliged to be, they addict themselves to the notions of the Pharisees, because the multitude would not otherwise bear them. (Josephus, Antiquities 18:16-17)
9. Gush Halav: (Gischala)
a. Home town of Revolt leader “John of Gischala” 66 AD, captured by Titus in Jerusalem in 70 AD and paraded in advance of the Temple Menora in Rome. (Titus Arch)
b. A synagogue has been archeologically excavated at Gush Halav.
c. 66 AD “From thence I and my fellow legates went to Gischala [Gush Halav], to John [of Gischala], as desirous to know his intentions, and soon saw that he was for innovations, and had a mind to the principality, (71) for he desired me to give him authority to carry off that corn which belonged to Caesar, and lay in the villages of Upper Galilee; and he pretended that he would expend what it came to in building the walls of his own city. (72) But when I perceived what he endeavored at, and what he had in his mind, I said I would not permit him so to do; for that I thought either to keep it for the Romans or for myself, now I was entrusted with the public affairs there by the people of Jerusalem: (73) but, when he was not able to prevail with me, he betook himself to my fellow legates; for they had no sagacity in providing for futurity, and were very ready to take bribes: so he corrupted them with money to decree, That all that corn which was within his province should be delivered to him: while I, who was but one, was outvoted by two, and held my tongue. (74) Then did John introduce another cunning contrivance of his; for he said that those Jews who inhabited Caesarea Philippi, and were shut up by the order of the king’s deputy there, had sent to him to desire him, that, since they had no oil that was pure for their use, he would provide a sufficient quantity of such oil for them, lest they should be forced to make use of oil that came from the Greeks, and thereby transgress their own laws. (75) Now this was said by John, not out of his regard to religion, but out of his most flagrant desire of gain; for he knew that two sectaries were sold with them of Caesarea for one drachma; but that at Gischala [Gush Halav] fourscore sectaries were sold for four sectaries: so he gave order that all the oil which was there should be carried away, as having my permission for so doing; (76) which yet I did not grant him voluntarily, but only out of fear of the multitude, since, if I had forbidden him, I should have been stoned by them.—When I had therefore permitted this to be done by John, he gained vast sums of money by this his knavery.” (Josephus Life 70-76)
d. “However, John’s [of Gischala] want of money had hitherto restrained him in his ambition after command, and in his attempts to advance himself; but when he saw that Josephus was highly pleased with the activity of his temper, he persuaded him, in the first place, to entrust him with the repairing of the walls of his native city [Gischala = Gush Halav]; in which work he got a great deal of money from the rich citizens. (591) He after that contrived a very shrewd trick, and pretending that the Jews who dwelt in Syria were obliged to make use of oil that was made by others than those of their own nation, he desired leave of Josephus to send oil to their borders; (592) so he bought four amphorae with such Tyrian money as was of the value of four Attic drachmae, and sold every half-amphor at the same price; and as Galilee was very fruitful in oil, and was peculiarly so at that time, by sending away great quantities and having the sole privilege so to do, he gathered an immense sum of money together, which money he immediately used to the disadvantage of him who gave him that privilege” (Josephus, Wars 2.590-592)
e. Capture of revolt leader John’s home down of Gush Halav (Gischala) in 67 AD: The Surrender Of The Small City Of Gischala; John Flies From It To Jerusalem: “Now, no place of Galilee remained to be taken but the small city of Gischala, whose inhabitants yet were desirous of peace; for they were generally husbandmen, and always applied themselves to cultivate the fruits of the earth. However, there were a great number that belonged to a band of robbers, that were already corrupted, and had crept in among them, and some of the governing part of the citizens were sick of the same distemper. (85) It was John, the son of a certain man whose name was Levi, that drew them into this rebellion, and encouraged them in it. He was a cunning knave, and of a temper that could put on various shapes; very rash in expecting great things, and very sagacious in bringing about what he hoped for. It was known to everybody that he was fond of war, in order to thrust himself into authority; (86) and the seditious part of the people of Gischala were under his management, by whose means the populace, who seemed ready to send ambassadors in order to a surrender, waited for the coming of the Romans in battle array. (87) Vespasian sent against them Titus, with a thousand horsemen, but withdrew the tenth legion to Scythopolis, (88) while he returned to Cesarea, with the two other legions, that he might allow them to refresh themselves after their long and hard campaign, thinking withal that the plenty which was in those cities would improve their bodies and their spirits, against the difficulties they were to go through afterwards; (89) for he saw there would be occasion for great pains about Jerusalem, which was not yet taken, because it was the royal city, and the principal city of the whole nation; and because those that had run away from the war in other places got all together thither. (90) It was also naturally strong, and the walls that were built round it made him not a little concerned about it. Moreover, he esteemed the men that were in it to be so courageous and bold, that even without the consideration of the walls, it would be hard to subdue them; (91) for which reason he took care of and exercised his soldiers beforehand for the work, as they do wrestlers before they begin their undertaking. 2. (92) Now Titus, as he rode up to Gischala, found it would be easy for him to take the city upon the first onset; but knew withal, that if he took it by force, multitude would be destroyed by the soldiers without mercy. (Now he was already satiated with the shedding of blood, and pitied the major part, who would then perish, without distinction, together with the guilty.) So he was rather desirous the city might be surrendered up to him on terms. (93) Accordingly, when he saw the wall full of those men that were of the corrupted party, he said to them,—that he could not but wonder what it was they depended on, when they alone staid to fight the Romans, after every other city was taken by them; (94) especially when they have seen cities much better fortified than theirs is, overthrown by a single attack upon them; while as many as have entrusted themselves to the security of the Romans’ right hands, which he now offers to them, without regarding their former insolence, do enjoy their own possessions in safety; (95) for that while they had hopes of recovering their liberty, they might be pardoned; but that their continuance still in their opposition, when they saw that to be impossible, was inexcusable; (96) for that, if they will not comply with such humane offers, and right hands for security, they should have experience of such a war as would spare nobody and should soon be made sensible that their wall would be but a trifle, when battered by the Roman machines; in depending on which they demonstrate themselves to be the only Galileans that were no better than arrogant slaves and captives. 3. (97) Now none of the populace durst not only make a reply, but durst not so much as get upon the wall, for it was all taken up by the robbers, who were also the guard at the gates, in order to prevent any of the rest from going out, in order to propose terms of submission, and from receiving any of the horsemen into the city. (98) But John returned Titus this answer,—that for himself he was content to hearken to his proposals, and that he would either persuade or force those that refused them. (99) Yet he said, that Titus ought to have such regard to the Jewish law, as to grant them leave to celebrate that day, which was the seventh day of the week, on which it was unlawful not only to remove their arms, but even to treat of peace also; (100) and that even the Romans were not ignorant how the period of the seventh day was among them a cessation from all labors; and that he who should compel them to transgress the law about that day, would be equally guilty with those that were compelled to transgress it; (101) and that this delay could be of not advantage to him; for why should anybody think of doing anything in the night, unless it was to fly away? Which he might prevent by placing his camp round about them; (102) and that they should think it a great point gained, if they might not be obliged to transgress the laws of their country; and that it would be a right thing for him, who designed to grant them peace, without their expectation of such a favor, to preserve the laws of those they saved inviolable. (103) Thus did this man put a trick upon Titus, no so much out of regard to the seventh day as to his own preservation, for he was afraid lest he should be quite deserted if the city should be taken, and had his hopes of life in that night, and in his flight therein. (104) Now this was the work of God, who therefore preserved this John, that he might bring on the destruction of Jerusalem; as also it was his work that Titus was prevailed with by his pretense for a delay, and that he pitched his camp farther off the city at Cydessa. (105) This Cydessa was a strong mediterranean village of the Tyrians, which always hated and made war against the Jews; it had also a great number of inhabitants, and was well fortified; which made it a proper place for such as were enemies to the Jewish nation. 4. (106) Now in the nighttime, when John saw that there was no Roman guard about the city, he seized the opportunity directly, and, taking with him not only the armed men that were about him, but a considerable number of those that had little to do, together with their families, he fled to Jerusalem. (107) And indeed, though the man was making haste to get away, and was tormented with fears of being a captive, or of losing his life, yet did he prevail with himself to take out of the city along with him a multitude of women and children, as far as twenty furlongs; but there he left them as he proceeded farther on his journey, where those that were left behind made sad lamentations; (108) for the farther everyone was come from his own people the nearer they thought themselves to be to their enemies. They also affrighted themselves with this thought, that those who would carry them into captivity were just at hand, and still turned themselves back at the mere noise they made themselves in this their hasty flight, as of those from whom they fled were just upon them. (109) Many also of them missed their ways; and the earnestness of such as aimed to outgo the rest, threw down many of them. (110) And indeed there was a miserable destruction made of the women and children; while some of them took courage to call their husbands and kinsmen back, and to beseech them, with the bitterest lamentations, to stay for them; (111) but John’s exhortation, who cried out to them to save themselves, and fly away, prevailed. He said also, that if the Romans should seize upon those whom they left behind, they would be revenged on them for it. So this multitude that ran thus away was dispersed abroad, according as each of them was able to run one faster or slower than another. 5. (112) Now on the next day Titus came to the wall, to make the agreement; (113) whereupon the people opened their gates to him, and came out to him, with their children and wives, and made acclamations of joy to him, as to one that had been their benefactor, and had delivered the city out of custody; (114) they also informed him of John’s flight, and besought him to spare them, and to come in and bring the rest of those that were for innovations to punishment; (115) but Titus, not so much regarding the supplications of the people, sent part of his horsemen to pursue after John, but they could not overtake him, for he was gotten to Jerusalem before; they also slew six thousand of the women and children who went out with him, but returned back and brought with them almost three thousand. (116) However, Titus was greatly displeased that he had not been able to bring this John, who had deluded him, to punishment; yet he had captives enough, as well as the corrupted part of the city, to satisfy his anger, when it missed of John. (117) So he entered the city in the midst of the acclamations of joy; and when he had given orders to the soldiers to pull down a small part of the wall, as of a city taken in war, he repressed those that had disturbed the city rather by threatenings than by executions; (118) for he thought that many would accuse innocent persons, out of their own animosities and quarrels, if he should attempt to distinguish those that were worthy of punishment from the rest; and that it was better to let a guilty person alone in his fears than to destroy with him anyone that did not deserve it; (119) for that probably such a one might be taught prudence, by the fear of the punishment he had deserved, and have a shame upon him for his former offenses, when he had been forgiven; but that the punishment of such as have been once put to death could never be retrieved. (120) However, he placed a garrison in the city for its security, by which means he should restrain those that were for renovations, and should leave those that were peaceably disposed in greater security. And thus was all Galilee taken; but this not till after it had cost the Romans much pains before it could be taken by them.” (Josephus Wars 4.83-120)
f. John of Gush Halav was a key rebel force defending Jerusalem in 70 AD from Titus: “Concerning the tyrants Simon and John. How also, as Titus was going round the wall of the city, Nicanor was wounded by a dart; which accident provoked Titus to press on the siege: 1. (248) Now the warlike men that were in the city, and the multitude of the seditious that were with Simon, were ten thousand, besides the Idumeans. Those ten thousand had fifty commanders, over whom this Simon was supreme. (249) The Idumeans that paid him homage were five thousand, and had eight commanders, among whom those of greatest fame were Jacob the son of Sosas, and Simon, the son of Cathlas. (250) John, who had seized upon the temple, had six thousand armed men, under twenty commanders; the zealots also that had come to him, and left off their opposition, were two thousand four hundred, and had the same commander that they had formerly, Eleazar, together with Simon the son of Arinus.”
g. John and Simon are paraded through Rome with the spoils of the Temple: “as for the leaders of the captives, Simon and John, with the other seven hundred men, whom Titus had selected out of the rest as being eminently tall and handsome of body, he gave order that they should be soon carried to Italy, as resolving to produce them in his triumph.” (Josephus Wars of the Jews 7.118)
10. Halicarnassus: (beside Cos)
a. “The decree of those of Halicarnassus. “When Memnon, the son of Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest on the […] day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: (257) Since we have ever a great regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow the people of the Romans; who are the benefactors of all men, and what they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; (258) we have decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do, may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according to the Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae [synagogue] at the seaside, according to the customs of their forefathers; and if anyone whether he be a magistrate or a private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.256-258, c. 30 BC)
11. Jericho
a. Josephus describes Jericho at the time of Jesus as a place Elijah performed miracles:
b. “Notwithstanding which, there is a fountain by Jericho; that runs plentifully, and is very fit for watering the ground, it rises near the old city, which Joshua, the son of Nun, the general of the Hebrews, took the first of all the cities of the land of Canaan, by right of war. (460) The report is, that this fountain, at the beginning, caused not only the blasting of the earth and the trees, but of the children born of women; and that is was entirely of a sickly and corruptive nature to all things whatsoever, but that it was made gentle, and very wholesome and fruitful, by the prophet Elisha. This prophet was familiar with Elijah, and was his successor, (461) who when he once was the guest of the people of Jericho, and the men of the place had treated him very kindly, he both made them amends as well as the country, by a lasting favor; (462) for he went out of the city to this fountain, and threw into the current an earthen vessel full of salt; after which he stretched out his righteous hand unto heaven, and, pouring out a mild drink offering, he made this supplication,—that the current might be mollified, and that the veins of fresh water might be opened; (463) that God also would bring into the place a more temperate and fertile air for the current, and would bestow upon the people of that country plenty of the fruits of the earth, and a succession of children; and that this prolific water might never fail them, while they continued to be righteous. (464) To these prayers Elisha joined proper operations of his hands, after a skillful manner, and changed the fountain, and that water which had been the occasion of barrenness and famine before, from that time did supply a numerous posterity, and afforded great abundance to the country. (465) Accordingly, the power of it is so great in watering the ground, that if it does but once touch a country, it affords a sweeter nourishment than other waters do, when they lie so long upon them, till they are satiated with them. (466) For which reason, the advantage gained from other waters, when they flow in great plenty, is but small, while that of this water is great when it flows even in little quantities. (467) Accordingly it waters a larger space of ground than any other waters do, and passes along a plain of seventy furlongs long, and twenty broad; wherein it affords nourishment to those most excellent gardens that are thick set with trees. (468) There are in it many sorts of palm trees that are watered by it, different from each other in taste and name; the better sort of them, when they are pressed, yield an excellent kind of honey, not much inferior in sweetness to other honey. (469) This country withal produces honey from bees: it also bears that balsam which is the most precious of all the fruits in that place, cypress trees also, and those that bear myrobalanum; so that he who should pronounce this place to be divine would not be mistaken, wherein is such plenty of trees produced as are very rare, and of the most excellent sort. (470) And indeed, if we speak of those other fruits, it will not be easy to light on any climate in the habitable earth that can well be compared to it,—what is here sown comes up in such clusters: (471) the cause of which seems to me to be the warmth of the air and the fertility of the waters; the warmth calling forth the sprouts, and making them spread, and the moisture making every one of them take root firmly, and supplying that virtue which it stands in need of in summertime. Now this country is then so sadly burnt up that nobody care to come at it; (472) and if the water be drawn up before sunrising, and after that exposed to the air, it becomes exceeding cold, and becomes of a nature quite contrary to the ambient air; (473) as in winter again it becomes warm; and if you go into it, it appears very gentle. The ambient air is here also so good a temperature, that the people of the country are clothed in linen only, even when snow covers the rest of Judea. (474) This place is one hundred and fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, and sixty from Jordan. The country, as far as Jerusalem, is desert and stony; but that as far as Jordan and the lake Asphaltitis lies lower indeed, though it be equally desert and barren. (475) But so much shall suffice to have been said about Jericho, and of the great happiness of its situation.” (Josephus Wars of the Jews 4.459-475)
c. Josephus describes Archelaus rebuilding Herod’s Palace at Jericho: Antiquities 17.340
d. “When Archelaus was entered on his ethnarchy, and was come into Judea, he accused Joazar, the son of Boethus, of assisting the seditious, and took away the high priesthood from him, and put Eleazar his brother in his place. (340) He also magnificently rebuilt the royal palace that had been at Jericho, and he diverted half the water with which the village of Neara used to be watered, and drew off that water into the plain, to water those palm trees which he had there planted: he also built a village, and put his own name upon it, and called it Archelaus. (341) Moreover, he transgressed the law of our fathers, and married Glaphyra, the daughter of Archelaus, who had been the wife of his brother Alexander, which Alexander had three children by her, while it was a thing detestable among the Jews to marry the brother’s wife. Nor did this Eleazar abide long in the high priesthood, Jesus, the son of Sie, being put in his room while he was still living.” (Josephus Antiquities 17.339-341)
12. Jerusalem: 169 BC:
a. “When Agatharchides (169 BC) had premised this story, and had jested upon Stratonice for her superstition, he gives a like example of what was reported concerning us, and writes thus: “There are a people called Jews, who dwell in a city the strongest of all other cities, which the inhabitants call Jerusalem, and are accustomed to rest on every seventh day; on which times they make no use of their arms, nor meddle with husbandry, nor take care of any affairs of life, but spread out their hands in their holy places [ie. Synagogues] , and pray till the evening.” (Josephus, Against Apion 1.208–209, quoting Agatharchides 169 BC)
13. Laodicea:
a. 76 BC: “The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius, the son of Caius, the consul sendeth greeting. Sopater, the ambassador of Hyrcanus the high priest [Hyranus II: 76 BC], hath delivered us an epistle from thee, whereby he lets us know that certain ambassadors were come from Hyrcanus, the high priest of the Jews, and brought an epistle written concerning their nation, (242) wherein they desire that the Jews may be allowed to observe their Sabbaths and other sacred rites, according to the laws of their forefathers, and that they may be under no command, because they are our friends and confederates: and that nobody may injure them in our provinces. Now although the Trallians there present contradicted them, and were not pleased with these decrees, yet didst thou give order that they should be observed, and informed us that thou hadst been desired to write this to us about them.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.241–242, Hyranus II 76 BC)
14. Magdala (Taricheae): Home town of Josephus
a. “But as for the inhabitants of the city of Tiberias, they wrote to the king, and desired him to send them forces sufficient to be a guard to their country; for that they were desirous to come over to him. This was what they wrote to him; (156) but when I [Josephus] came to them, they desired me to build their walls, as I had promised them to do; for they had heard that the walls of Taricheae were already built. I agreed to their proposal accordingly; and when I had made preparation for the entire building, I gave order to the architects to go to work; (157) but on the third day, when I was gone to Taricheae, which was thirty furlongs distant from Tiberias, it so fell out, that some Roman horsemen were discovered on their march, not far from the city, which made it to be supposed that the forces were come from the king; (158) upon which they shouted, and lifted up their voices in commendations of the king, and in reproaches against me. Hereupon one came running to me, and told me what their dispositions were; and that they had resolved to revolt from me:—(159) upon hearing which news I was very much alarmed; for I had already sent away my armed men from Taricheae to their own homes, because the next day was our Sabbath; for I would not have the people of Taricheae disturbed [on that day] by a multitude of soldiers; (160) and indeed, whenever I sojourned at that city, I never took any particular care for a guard about my own body, because I had had frequent instances of the fidelity its inhabitants bore to me. (161) I had now about me no more than seven armed men, besides some friends, and was doubtful what to do; for to send to recall my own forces I did not think proper, because the present day was almost over: and had those forces been with me, I could not take up arms on the next day, because our laws forbade us so to do, even though our necessity should be very great; (162) and if I should permit the people of Taricheae and the strangers with them, to guard the city, I saw that they would not be sufficient for that purpose, and I perceived that I should be obliged to delay my assistance a great while; for I thought with myself that the forces that came from the king would prevent me, and that I should be driven out of the city. (163) I considered, therefore, how to get clear of these forces by a stratagem; so I immediately placed those my friends of Taricheae, on whom I could best confide, at the gates, to watch those very carefully who went out at those gates; I also called to me the heads of families, and bade every one of them to seize upon a ship, to go on board it, and to take a master with them, and follow him to the city of Tiberias. (164) I also myself [Josephus] went on board one of those ships, with my friends, and the seven armed men already mentioned, and sailed for Tiberias.” (Josephus Life 155-164)
b. In 66 AD, Magdala/Taricheae had a population of 40,000 and had 230 boats anchored in the city port:
c. “Hereupon the people of Taricheae loudly commended him; but those of Tiberias with the rest of the company, gave him hard names, and threatened what they would do to him; so both sides left off quarreling with Josephus, and fell to quarreling with one another. So he grew bold upon the dependence he had on his friends, which were the people of Taricheae, and about forty thousand in number, and spake more freely to the whole multitude, and reproached them greatly for their rashness; (609) and told them, that with this money he would build walls about Taricheae, and would put the other cities in a state of security also; for that they should not want money, if they would but agree for whose benefit it was to be procured, and would not suffer themselves to be irritated against him who had procured it for them.” (Josephus Wars 2.608–609)
d. “Now John was detained afterward within the walls of Gischala, by the fear he was in of Josephus; but within a few days Tiberias revolted again, the people within it inviting king Agrippa [to return to the exercise of his authority there]; (633) and when he did not come at the time appointed, and when a few Roman horsemen appeared that day, they expelled Josephus out of the city. (634) Now, this revolt of theirs was presently known at Taricheae; and as Josephus had sent out all the soldiers that were with him to gather corn, he knew not how either to march out alone against the revolters, or to stay where he was, because he was afraid the king’s soldiers might prevent him if he tarried, and might get into the city; for he did not intend to do anything on the next day, because it was the Sabbath day, and would hinder his proceedings. (635) So he contrived to circumvent the revolters by a stratagem; and in the first place, he ordered the gates of Taricheae to be shut, that nobody might go out and inform [those of Tiberias], for whom it was intended, what stratagem he was about: he then got together all the ships that were upon the lake, which were found to be two hundred and thirty, and in each of them he put no more than four mariners. So he sailed to Tiberius with haste, (636) and kept at such a distance from the city, that it was not easy for the people to see the vessels, and ordered that the empty vessels should float up and down there, while he, who had but seven of his guards with him, and those unarmed also, went so near as to be seen; (637) but when his adversaries, who were still reproaching him, saw him from the walls, they were so astonished that they supposed all the ships were full of armed men, and threw down their arms, and by signals of intercession they besought him to spare the city. 9. (638) Upon this Josephus threatened them terribly, and reproached them, that when they were the first that took up arms against the Romans, they should spend their force beforehand in civil dissensions, and do what their enemies desired above all things; and that besides, they should endeavor so hastily to seize upon him, who took care of their safety, and had not been ashamed to shut the gates of their city against him that built their walls; that, however, he would admit of any intercessors from them that might make some excuse for them, and with whom he would make such agreements as might be for the city’s security.” (Josephus Wars 2.631–638)
15. Masada:
a. “Upon this top of the hill, Jonathan the high priest [Alexander Jannaeus: 103-76 BC] first of all built a fortress, and called it Masada; after which the building of this place employed the care of king Herod to a great degree” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 7.285)
b. “But when Cassius was marched out of Syria, disturbances arose in Judea: for Felix, who was left at Jerusalem with an army, made a sudden attempt against Phasaelus, and the people themselves rose in arms: (295) but Herod went to Fabius, the prefect of Damascus, and was desirous to run to his brother’s assistance, but was hindered by a distemper that seized upon him, till Phasaelus by himself had been too hard for Felix, and had shut him up in the tower, and there on certain conditions, dismissed him. Phasaelus also complained of Hyrcanus, that although he had received a great many benefits from them, yet did he support their enemies; (296) for Malichus’s brother had made many places to revolt, and kept garrisons in them, and particularly Masada, the strongest fortress of them all. In the meantime Herod was recovered of his disease, and came and took from Felix all the places he had gotten; and, upon certain conditions, dismissed him also.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.294–296)
c. “All this while Antigonus besieged those that were in Masada, who had plenty of all other necessaries, but were only in want of water, insomuch that on this occasion Joseph, Herod’s brother, was contriving to run away from it, with two hundred of his dependants, to the Arabians; for he had heard that Malchus repented of the offenses he had been guilty of with regard to Herod; (391) but God, by sending rain in the nighttime, prevented his going away, for their cisterns were thereby filled, and as he was under no necessity of running away on that account: but they were now of good courage, and the more so, because the sending that plenty of water which they had been in want of, seemed a mark of divine providence; so they made a sally, and fought hand to hand with Antigonus’s soldiers (with some openly, with some privately), and destroyed a great number of them.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.390–391)
16. Miletus:
a. “Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians, sendeth greeting. (245) Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the sacred rites received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the earth according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the promulger of your decree, according as your laws require; (246) I would therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleading on both sides, I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of their own customs.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.244–246, decree: 46 BC Miletus)
17. Modein (Hurvat Umm el-Umdan)
a. home town of the Maccabean dynasty: 132 BC
b. Family burial tombs in Modein of Maccabees:
c. JOSEPHUS: “However, Simon sent some to the city Basca to bring away his brother’s bones, and buried them in their own city Modin; and all the people made great lamentation over him. (211) Simon also erected a very large monument for his father and his brethren, of white and polished stone, and raised it a great height, and so as to be seen a long way off, and made cloisters about it, and set up pillars, which were of one stone apiece; a work it was wonderful to see. Moreover, he built seven pyramids also for his parents and brethren, one for each of them, which were made very surprising, both for their largeness and beauty, (212) and which have been preserved to this day; and we know that it was Simon who bestowed so much zeal about the burial of Jonathan, and the building of these monuments for his relations. Now Jonathan died when he had been high priest four years, and had been also the governor of his nation. And these were the circumstances that concerned his death.” (Josephus Antiquities 13.210-212, 125 BC)
18. Rome:
a. “Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, … whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.214, decree 54 BC)
19. Sardis:
a. Both national and civic governments were instructed to allow the Synagogue to be built and exist
b. 49 BC: “Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-pretor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow-citizens of Rome, came to me, and demonstrated that they had an assembly [synagogue] of their own, according to the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me, that these might be lawful for them, I give order that these their privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly.” (Josephus Antiquities 14.235: decree of 49 BC)
c. 48 BC: “The decree of the Sardians. “This decree was made by the senate and people upon the representation of the praetors:—Whereas those Jews who are our fellow-citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the senate, (260) and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their law and their liberty, by senate and people of Rome, they may assemble [synagogue] together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and sacrifices to God. (261) Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose: and that those that take care of the provisions for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating, may be imported into the city.” (Josephus, Antiquities 14.259–261: decree: 48 BC)
20. Tiberius
a. Tiberius synagogue: “I also sent many persons all the way that led from Taricheae to Tiberias, that they might communicate, from one to another, if they learned any news from those that were left in the city. On the next day, therefore, they all came into the Proseuche; it was a large edifice, and capable of receiving a great number of people; thither Jonathan went in, and though he durst not openly speak of a revolt, yet did he say that their city stood in need of a better governor than it then had. (Josephus, Life 276-277)
b. Tiberius synagogue: “When I was informed of these affairs, I determined to go to the city of Tiberias in the morning. Accordingly, on the next day, about the first hour of the day, I came from Taricheae, and found the multitude already assembled in the Proseucha; but on what account they were gotten together, those that were assembled did not know.” (Josephus, Life 280)
c. Tiberius synagogue: “I also myself took my breastplate, and girded on my sword, so that it might be, as far as it was possible, concealed, and came into the Proseuche. Now Jesus, who was the ruler, commanded that they should exclude all that came with me, for he kept the door himself, and suffered none but his friends to go in. And while we were engaged in the duties of the day, and had betaken ourselves to our prayers” (Josephus, Life 293-295)
By Steve Rudd 2017: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections
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Jesus your messiah is waiting for you to come home! |
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Why not worship with a first century New Testament church near you, that has the same look and feel as the Jewish Synagogue in your own home town. As a Jew, you will find the transition as easy today as it was for the tens of thousands of your forefathers living in Jerusalem 2000 years ago when they believed in Jesus the Nazarene (the branch) as their messiah. It’s time to come home! |
By Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections.
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