ANCIENT LAND LEGEND OF MASADA

An Ancient Land: LEGEND OF MASADA

Dr. Jodi Magness reveals her newest discoveries about the history and legend of Masada. She will take us on an archaeological journey which will include an examination of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient synagogue at Huqoq.

Jewish Resistance Against Rome

In the first century B.C.E., Herod the Great, who ruled Judea as client king on behalf of Rome, built a fortified palace atop the mountain of Masada overlooking the Dead Sea. Seventy years after Herod's death, the First Jewish Revolt against Rome broke out and Jewish rebels occupied Masada. According to the ancient historian Flavius Josephus, at the end of the revolt the Romans besieged the mountain and the Jewish rebels committed mass suicide. We will survey the history and archaeology of Masada, including the results of excavations in the Roman siege works which Professor Magness co-directed in 1995.

Dead Sea Scrolls

In 1946-1947, the first Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by accident near the site of Qumran. Eventually the remains of approximately 1000 scrolls were found in 11 caves surrounding Qumran. In this slide-illustrated lecture, we will explore the archaeological remains of Qumran, which was inhabited by members of a Jewish sect who deposited the scrolls in the nearby caves, and examine the meaning and significance of the scrolls.

The Ancient Synagogue at Huquq in Israel’s Galilee

Since 2011, Professor Magness has been directing excavations in the ancient village of Huqoq in Israel's Galilee. The excavations have brought to light the remains of a monumental Late Roman (fifth century) synagogue building paved with stunning and unique mosaics, including biblical scenes and the first non-biblical story ever discovered decorating an ancient synagogue. In this third slide-illustrated lecture, Professor Magness will describe these exciting finds, including the discoveries made in last summer's season.