Lecture 12: Feb

Todays topic was on Roman Jerusalem, Herodian Jerusalem and Jesus' Jerusalem.The romans rule over palestine began in 63 BCE. Pompey annexed it for Rome.Idumean Antipater, was installed as procurator, basically the local ruler. His son, revenges the death of murder of his father, which happened in 43BCE. In 39 BCE he took control of Galilee, samaria and Idumea. He also took Jerusalem from Parthians in 37 BCE.There are coins found that of of Herod the Great. He is very sensitive to the fact that he is rulling Jews, so there are no faces, only symbols. However, he is also trying to be good to Rome so he doesnt loss power. It makes him a client king.Herod was one of the most brutal dictoators we have ever seen. He was extremly paranoid, but it worked for him. We see this in the Gospel of Matthew. When he realized that the magi had not listened to him, he was so furious that he had all the boys in Behtlehem under the age of two killed. Although he was known for his paranoia and impulsiveness, he was best known for his massive building projects. He wanted to remembered so he build things in his name and for him.
Professor showed us some pictures of the model of Jerusalem as well as heroian temple mount. Then we are shown what it looks like today. We were shown the picture with the letters in the wall again. We also looked at teh model of Herods Temple. We also saw the temple month southern entrances. We looked at the Al aqsa Mosque.
Next we looked at Herodian Miqvah. Miqvah is a jewish ritual bath. It was necessary to purify yourself before you entered teh mosque so they had these all around. you walked in unpure and then when you walked out.On the southwest corner of hte temple mount, we saw the Rovinson's Arch.The Herodian Temple mount was build with roman architecure. It was extremely big, about 15 football fields. Some of the longest stones were 40 feet long and 100 tons.There was an inscription found that said "the place of the trumpeting" which suggest that what josipha says to be true. It was the actual point where the trumpet was that told people to go and stop.There is this place called the Burnt house. It tells us alot about this period of time. You see cups, bowls and dishes and other things they would have used.He showed us another overview of the city of David. Herod built a large portion of it.
There were also things like a hippodrome, which is where they ran horses, and then there was an Antonia Fortress. It was a place that they could go to look out at everyting. And then you have the actual temple. There was a fence around it, and they found a message on it. It said that nonjews of gentiles said they couldnt go past a certain point. If they wernt Jewish they couldnt go past and if they did they it is their fault for their death.Along the western wall, you will constantly see people there. Often you see barmitsfas. It is a holy place, so you cant spit or brign your video camera or things like that. In the picture, the wall was discolored and it was because of all the people who have prayed and touche the wall over time.Another construction site that Herod made was the Theater at Caesarea. They still use this theature for preformances to this day. Professor told us he snuck in there once and that he almost saw pearl jam there.
There was  a mountain, and in it was a huge whole cut in the middle and it was basically a fortress. It was perfect to hide in becaseu there was no way you could get into it without anyone knowing. This is where we thing Herod was buried.The Triclinium at Herodion was like the place where you would eat. Like a dinner table. You would lie down to eat on your left hand and eat with your right hand. Professor made a funny picture of what it would look like if you were reclined at the table. It was pretty funny.But the real questionis, was Herod a good king or a bad king.He was a good dictator, but he Bible paints him as a bad person. Was he really that bad? He was respectful to the temple, he let Jews pick their High Priest, he married a Hasmonean princess, he offered generous relief during famine, he put inanimate objects on coins, he avoided vuilding pagan temples in Jewish areas, and he employed numberous jewish workers as builders.
We spent the last ten minutes talking about the archaeological evidence for Jesus. He showed us a blank page because there is no proof. it is taken by people faith.Some pieces of evidence that thye think they have found are Jesus' boat. It was a boat from Ginosar on the sea of Galilee. This could have been a boat that the disciples might have used. There is no proof its Jesus but people seem to think that it does.Another is a box thingy and i forgot the name, it was ment to hold the bones of a person and you would put it in the wall. It had an inscription on it taht said, Jacob (james), sone of Joseph, brother of Jeshua (Jesus). However,it turns out that the inscription is fake. Only part of it is fake.There were signes that crusifiction was real. They found a crucified heel bone from ossuary wit inscription "Jehohanan the son of Hgqwl" There was a nail that went through wood as well as ankle bone.
We finished lecture by saying that there is no archaeological evidence for the exisrence of Jesus. There is evidence that people believe he existed, but is absence of evidence, does that mean it didnt exist???