The Biblical Archaeology Forum (BAF) begins its thirty-second year in September with Maryland University professor Kenneth Holum looking back on his own three decades excavating King Herod’s monumental building at Caesarea and highlighting recent discoveries.
Please join us for a series of eight scholarly lectures on the latest archaeological research findings and related fields such as history, art and texts of ancient times. Reservations are not required. Fees per lecture are: free – high school students; $5 – Residents of CES Life Communities, college students and co-sponsors; $8 – BASONOVA & Bender JCC members, and; $10 – the general public. For more information, please contact BAF.JCCGW@gmail.com.
Subscriptions for the BAF 2017-2018 lecture season coming soon.
2017-2018 SEASON
Megiddo and the Roman Sixth Legion: New Excavations and Early Jewish-Christian-Roman Relations
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | 8:00 PM | Bender JCC
Matthew Adams | Executive Director, W.F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research; Co-Director, Megiddo Excavations
In the late 1st and early 2nd Centuries CE, dangerous Jewish (and incipient Christian) rebels were causing problems for the Roman Empire in Israel. Though the First Revolt resulted in the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE and in the establishment of a permanent base of the Tenth Legion there, these groups continued to harass their overlords.
Historical sources indicate the Roman Sixth Legion was deployed there in the early 2nd Century CE to provide support for the Tenth Legion, a sure sign that the rebels were acting up again. The Sixth Legion established their base somewhere near Megiddo, but its exact location has been a mystery.
Using historical and geographical sources, aerial photography, and remote sensing, the fortress was recently located, providing the first modern glimpse of a 2nd Century Roman military base in the entire eastern Empire. Together with the early Christian Prayer hall discovered in 2005 in the adjacent Jewish village of Caparcotani, the new excavations shed new light on Jewish-Christian-Roman relations and the composition of the Book of Revelation. Click here for the event page.
Rediscovering the Lost Library of Alexandria
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 | 8:00 PM | Bender JCC
Frederick Winter | Associate Director, Capitol Archaeological Institute
The fabled lost library of ancient Alexandria was more than a collection of books: It was a temple to the Greek muses that combined a museum and library. It became the great center of learning and cultural preservation in the Hellenistic era, the centuries that bridged the gap between the death of Alexander the Great and the advent of Rome as the central power in the Mediterranean world.
Founded by Alexander’s successor kings in Egypt, the Ptolemies, it was conceived as a vehicle for bringing Greek culture to Egypt. The Library became a magnet for Greek scholars from throughout the world who made astounding achievements in astronomy (including the recognition of the heliocentric solar system by Aristarchus of Samos), topography (the measurement of the circumference of the earth by Eratosthenes of Cyrene), poetry (the epic Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes), and other fields of learning. Click here for the event page.
The Book of Esther Revealed
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 | 8:00 PM | Bender JCC
Adele Berlin | Professor Emerita, University of Maryland
How should we understand the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Esther? How “biblical” is it? How “religious” is it? How “Persian” is it? How “true” is it? Why was it written? What happened to the book when it was translated into Greek? If Esther makes no reference to God‘s name, to the Temple, to prayer, or to distinctive Jewish practices, then why is it part of the Jewish canon?
These and other points will be discussed as we analyze the literary style and influences on the book, its historical background, and its relation to the festival of Purim. Click here for the event page.
The Ancient Synagogue at Huqoq in Israel’s Galilee
Sunday, March 25, 2018 | 7:30 PM | B’Nai Israel
In Israel’s Galilee lies the ancient village of Huqoq, mentioned in Joshua and 1 Chronicles as land allotted to the tribe of Asher and notable as the location of the Tomb of the Prophet Habakkuk.
Since 2011, Huqoq has gained fame for the excavations directed by Professor Jodi Magness. These excavations have brought to light the remains of a monumental Late Roman period (400s CE) synagogue building that is replete with stunning and unique mosaics, including depictions of the biblical hero Samson, Noah’s Ark, the parting of the Red Sea, and the first non-biblical story ever discovered decorating an ancient synagogue.
In this richly illustrated lecture, Professor Magness will describe these exciting finds, plus the discoveries made during the summer of 2017. For more information visit: www.huqoq.org. Click here for the event page.
