Early Judaism- A Comprehensive Overview

the very late first centuryb.c.e.or early first centuryc.e.Imported ware

from Italy became available during the middle and latter part of the first

centuryc.e.That glass is almost ubiquitous in first-century contexts indi-

cates that it quickly lost its status as a luxury item and became a fairly com-

mon commodity. From the Herodian period onward, Palestine was firmly

integrated into the empire-wide glass market, and its inhabitants showed

no qualms in acquiring affordable vessels of the latest fashion, such as

“Ennion” beakers in Jerusalem’s Upper City and pieces of imported Italian

glass found at Qumran. Some common household glass was even pro-

duced in local workshops in the Upper City of Jerusalem (including tools

for blowing) before 70c.e., but no large-scale glass factories are known

from Palestine before the fourth centuryc.e.

Coins and Weights

Coins and weights provide important evidence about Herodian adminis-

tration. Apart from one group (the Year 3 coins), Herod’s coins are all un-

dated. Minting took place first in Sebaste and then in Jerusalem. New im-

agery appeared, partly imitating Roman coins; among them was the

caduceus(winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it), the ceremo-

nial cap of anaugur(Roman priest who specialized in divination), and the

aphlaston(fan-like ornament at the stern of ancient galleys). But some-

times these images were balanced by a more traditional one on the reverse.

One coin even shows an eagle. It is likely that Herod’s Jerusalem mint cop-

ied Tyrian silver shekels after the completion of the Temple.

Of special importance is an Aramaic inscription on a stone weight, ex-

cavated in one of the houses in the Jewish quarter. It mentions “Bar

Kathros,” possibly the name of one of the four high-priestly families who

according to the Mishnah (m. PesaF.57:1) oppressed the people.

Inscriptions and Funerary Epitaphs

The number of inscriptions in both public and private contexts rose dra-

matically during the Herodian period. The rise no doubt owes to increased

building activity especially under Herod himself, but it is particularly no-

table in the private sector connected with burial. One third of ossuaries are

inscribed.

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jürgen k. zangenberg

EERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:04:13 PM