Between Text and Artifact: Integrating Archaeology in Biblical Studies Teaching (Archaeology and Biblical Studies)

MEYERS:TEACHINGSECONDTEMPLEJUDAIS.\!INLIGHTOFAllClJAEOlOGY 161

abackdropforstudyingjewishandChristianorigins,theseuingishelpful
inre-creatingtheatmosphereofthetimes.Inthoselimes,itisquiteclear
tosaytheeffectsofcenturiesofaccommodationtoHellenisticcivilization
wereeverywhereinevidenceinJerusalem,andfromthelimeufZerubba-
beltoHerodthesizeandpopulationofJerusalemhadgrownmorethan
tentimes)']
Oneofthemajorreasonsforjerusalem'smoreinternationalnavorand
HellenisticcharacterwasthenatureoftheHomanEmpireitself.jerusalem
waslinkedtootherurbancentersintheEastbylr.Jde,commerce,andasa
Jewishreligioussite,andHenxlasaclientkinglaboredgreatlyduringhis
lifetointegratethecapit~llcityintothelargerRomanworld.Hisfamilyand
COUlt,liketheHasmoneansbeforehim,boreGreekorLatinnames. Inhis
attr.JctiontoRomansocietyHerodwasjoinedbytheupperclasses and
priests, whose lavishhomes havenowbeenexcavatedandrestored)';
Moreover,Herodandhissonsoftenavoidedfiguralartinthemain,used
Greekontheircoins,andcmployedlhebestartisansandarchitectsintheir
constructionand renovation projects,manyofthemfromabroad. Gifts
fromDiasporaJewsgreatlyassistedthetaskofbeautifyingjerusalem,and
manyofthemestablishedsmallenclavesofpermanentresidencyinthecity
ilself.36Herod'spaganbuildingprojectsinsports,theater,andspectaclehe
keptata distancefromthejewishpopulationwhileassuagingtheforeign
elementsintheircities.InthisstrategyHerodwasprescient.andhissensi-
tivityorpoliticals<1Vvypresentsanironictwisttothcsefatefultimes.
The language situation in Jerusalem in this period reflects the
increaseddiversityofgreaterPalestine.Thefourmajorlanguagesattested
areHebrewandAramaic,GreekandLatin.NodoubtAramaicandGreek
werethemostlJ.'~edlanguagcs,andcertainlylargesegmentsorthejewish
communityknc\"\'agooddealofHebrew.Latin,onthcotherhand,was
knownonlyintheRomanmilitaryranksandamongimperialofficials)?
TheprevalenceofAramaicandGreekincontemporaryepigraphyleaves
littledoubtaboutwhetherornotjesuswasbilingual:thcmorcrelevant
questionis,Towhatdegreewashetrilingual?Forthcmajorarchaeological
discoveriesofthefirstcenturyandhowtheyrelatetothereconstructionof
thelireorjesusandthesettingofearlyPalestinbnChristianity,Ireferthe
readertoCrossanandHeed,E:xcalJatingJeslls.

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3';forareviewoftheworkup 10 1994.~ethecollectionsofess:lY.~inIlilk:1Gcva.....d_.

AI/ciell/jent..mlemRet'(!(/t('(IOcn.JS;llem:ISr.lelExplor.ttionSociety.1992);anditspr"-,,dcces~or

volume\h;1(:JppearedIII1975:YigadYadin.cd.,jentsl/lemRel'C(lled:Arcba('(Jlop,ytilIbeIlo()'

City,1968-/974(jcnJsa1cm:bradExplorationSocietyt<)75).

y,Levine.judalWIami/Iellullism;/1AII/;qllily. 54

37 tbid..72-73.