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The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library
Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, Volume 3: Alexander to Constantine
Drawing on the most recent, groundbreaking archeological research, Eric M. Meyers and Mark A. Chancey re-narrate the history of ancient Palestine in this richly illustrated & expertly integrated book. Spanning from the conquest of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE until the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine in the 4th century CE, they synthesize archeological evidence with ancient literary sources (including the Bible) to offer a sustained overview of the tumultuous intellectual & religious changes that impacted world history during the Greco-Roman period.
The authors demonstrate how the transformation of the ancient Near East under the influence of the Greeks & then the Romans led to foundational changes in both the material & intellectual worlds of the Levant. Palestine's subjection to Hellenistic kingdoms, its rule by the Hasmonean & Herodian dynasties, the two disastrous Jewish revolts against Rome, & its full incorporation into the Roman Empire provide a background for the emergence of Christianity. The authors observe in the archeological record how Judaism & Christianity were virtually undistinguishable for centuries, until the rise of imperial Christianity with Emperor Constantine.
The only book-length overview available that focuses on the archeology of Palestine in this period, this comprehensive & powerfully illuminating work sheds new light on the lands of the bible.
The authors demonstrate how the transformation of the ancient Near East under the influence of the Greeks & then the Romans led to foundational changes in both the material & intellectual worlds of the Levant. Palestine's subjection to Hellenistic kingdoms, its rule by the Hasmonean & Herodian dynasties, the two disastrous Jewish revolts against Rome, & its full incorporation into the Roman Empire provide a background for the emergence of Christianity. The authors observe in the archeological record how Judaism & Christianity were virtually undistinguishable for centuries, until the rise of imperial Christianity with Emperor Constantine.
The only book-length overview available that focuses on the archeology of Palestine in this period, this comprehensive & powerfully illuminating work sheds new light on the lands of the bible.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 17, 2021
Одна з найкращих історичних книжок, яка описує історію та археологію маленької Палестини, де 2000 років тому відбулись події, які докорінно змінили хід історії. Книжка написана двома відомими археологами, та на основі знахідок та досліджень оповідає зародження християнства в його історично-культурному контексті.
November 2, 2016
This is a generally accessible review of the history of what the Romans came to call "Palestine" from the time of Alexander the Great until that of Constantine. Given the time frame, most attention is paid to the Jewish communities, particularly from the period of the second commonwealth until that of Herod. The archaeology serves to illustrate the history and is generally accessible, although I admit to having had to look up several technical terms in large dictionaries.
February 3, 2020
I must confess that I'm always a bit suspicious when I'm reading a book about the "holy land" that is written by somebody whois a professor of religious studies. Seems to me that they are unlikely to be totally objective. However, in this case (and there are two professors of religious studies involved) I'm reasonably impressed. I didn't detect any bias...though that doesn't mean it's not there.
The book is a reasonably straightforward examination of the archeology of the area of Palestine/Israel from the period around 300BCE to the period around 300 CE when Christianity finally emerged as a major force...mainly because Constantine was a convert.A couple of things stood out for me. One was that there is virtually no clear archeological evidence for Jesus ...and, in fact, no archeological evidence for Christianity until about 200 CE. As the authors point out, there was nothing much to distinguish Christians from the various other sects of judaism in the early years.
They devote quite a lot of time to the Dead Sea Scrolls and to the community that (presumably) produced them and hid them.
I have always been a bit confused by the role of Herod the Great and Herod Antipas...and, it seems, with reason. There was a whole family of Herods who, while Jewish, cooperated with the Romans. And, in fact, Herod the great was really only great because he was supported militarily by the Romans. But he did undertake an astonishing amount of building. I found myself asking the question: where did all the wealth come from to enable him to do all this building. Taxation was one obvious source but there is a limit to how much one can bleed the population. I'm still a bit mystified because this book does not explain it. In one sense public works and public expenditure creates it's own economic activity and expands the wealth. On the other hand, a time of peace allows prosperity to develop and is good for generating taxation returns.
In hind sight, the two great Jewish revolts ...one in about 70CE and the other ...the Bar Kokhba revolt ..some 62 years later. Interestingly enough Bar Kokhbar was also held out to be the Messiah...but all he brought was the utter devastation of the Jewish people and another massive diaspora. One of the weaknesses of the Jewish community was clearly their lack of cohesion and the plurality of views. The aristocracy and priesthood seemed to be all for cooperation with the Romans ..and maintaining the peace (and their position in society) whilst the fundamentalists were concerned about religious purity and getting the Romans out. Some magnificent gestures...such as Masada ....but ultimately a total failure. (They should have read Sun Tzu..who recommends not fighting unless you are going to win). The book also draws attention to Josephus's position ...as first a leader of the Jews fighting the Romans and then (supposedly) a neutral observer writing an objective history. Especially when he comes to explaining his own role and actions. I was also fascinated to learn that the mass suicide at Masada might also be a bit suspect. (No bones...no archeological evidence and it was certainly talked up by Yadin ....an archeologist who excavated the site. He's been criticised as working to create a "national myth" with Israel suffering from a siege mentality. ....though there is one throw-away line, in this book, that suicide is strictly forbidden under Jewish law).
Another thing I found fascinating was the fusion of religions that seemed to take place with all sorts of relics and talismans from various religions seemingly being found together in the post revolt period. And, to me, this is quite understandable...especially if there is intermarriage between various groups. One can imagine a mother with a pagan background still retaining her fondness for some of the old traditions and beliefs ..and likewise a husband ...maybe illiterate and not having a perfect grasp of (say) Jewish law and traditions ....accepting the foreign beliefs (and "harmless" artifacts) into the home. Anyway, there is evidence that various belief systems seemed to coexist for long periods in relative peace and with tolerance.
Oh, there is one other theme that I don't assume to really understand and that is a focus on baths in various sites and the correlation of this with ritual purity.....washing and baptism of various sorts. On the other hand, when you live in dry areas ..prone to drought....it makes a lot of sense to have some decent water storage.
On the whole, not a bad book. But maybe not brilliant either. I'll give it 4 stars.
The book is a reasonably straightforward examination of the archeology of the area of Palestine/Israel from the period around 300BCE to the period around 300 CE when Christianity finally emerged as a major force...mainly because Constantine was a convert.A couple of things stood out for me. One was that there is virtually no clear archeological evidence for Jesus ...and, in fact, no archeological evidence for Christianity until about 200 CE. As the authors point out, there was nothing much to distinguish Christians from the various other sects of judaism in the early years.
They devote quite a lot of time to the Dead Sea Scrolls and to the community that (presumably) produced them and hid them.
I have always been a bit confused by the role of Herod the Great and Herod Antipas...and, it seems, with reason. There was a whole family of Herods who, while Jewish, cooperated with the Romans. And, in fact, Herod the great was really only great because he was supported militarily by the Romans. But he did undertake an astonishing amount of building. I found myself asking the question: where did all the wealth come from to enable him to do all this building. Taxation was one obvious source but there is a limit to how much one can bleed the population. I'm still a bit mystified because this book does not explain it. In one sense public works and public expenditure creates it's own economic activity and expands the wealth. On the other hand, a time of peace allows prosperity to develop and is good for generating taxation returns.
In hind sight, the two great Jewish revolts ...one in about 70CE and the other ...the Bar Kokhba revolt ..some 62 years later. Interestingly enough Bar Kokhbar was also held out to be the Messiah...but all he brought was the utter devastation of the Jewish people and another massive diaspora. One of the weaknesses of the Jewish community was clearly their lack of cohesion and the plurality of views. The aristocracy and priesthood seemed to be all for cooperation with the Romans ..and maintaining the peace (and their position in society) whilst the fundamentalists were concerned about religious purity and getting the Romans out. Some magnificent gestures...such as Masada ....but ultimately a total failure. (They should have read Sun Tzu..who recommends not fighting unless you are going to win). The book also draws attention to Josephus's position ...as first a leader of the Jews fighting the Romans and then (supposedly) a neutral observer writing an objective history. Especially when he comes to explaining his own role and actions. I was also fascinated to learn that the mass suicide at Masada might also be a bit suspect. (No bones...no archeological evidence and it was certainly talked up by Yadin ....an archeologist who excavated the site. He's been criticised as working to create a "national myth" with Israel suffering from a siege mentality. ....though there is one throw-away line, in this book, that suicide is strictly forbidden under Jewish law).
Another thing I found fascinating was the fusion of religions that seemed to take place with all sorts of relics and talismans from various religions seemingly being found together in the post revolt period. And, to me, this is quite understandable...especially if there is intermarriage between various groups. One can imagine a mother with a pagan background still retaining her fondness for some of the old traditions and beliefs ..and likewise a husband ...maybe illiterate and not having a perfect grasp of (say) Jewish law and traditions ....accepting the foreign beliefs (and "harmless" artifacts) into the home. Anyway, there is evidence that various belief systems seemed to coexist for long periods in relative peace and with tolerance.
Oh, there is one other theme that I don't assume to really understand and that is a focus on baths in various sites and the correlation of this with ritual purity.....washing and baptism of various sorts. On the other hand, when you live in dry areas ..prone to drought....it makes a lot of sense to have some decent water storage.
On the whole, not a bad book. But maybe not brilliant either. I'll give it 4 stars.
October 27, 2015
Eric M. Meyers and Mark A. Chancy. Alexander to Constantine: Archaeology of the Land of the Bible. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 400 pp., 2014, $27.50 (paperback).
*I would like to express my gratitude to Yale University Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. And as an additional note, Alexander to Constantine was originally published in 2012. The 2014 publication of the paperback edition.
Eric M. Meyers, biblical scholar and archaeologist at Duke University, and Mark A. Chancey, Professor of Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University, worked together to publish a third volume of a series on biblical archaeology. The first two volumes, by Amihai Mazar and Ephraim Stern, covered material up to the Hellenistic period and conquest of Alexander the Great (332 B.C.E.). Meyers and Chancey continue the history of the Levant from the transition of the Persian period to Hellenism to the rule of Constantine. More specifically, Alexander to Constantine focuses on the ways in which Judaism expressed itself through various external pressures, especially archeological currents.
Chapter One dovetails off of the end of Ephraims Stern’s volume 2 of Archaeology of the Land of the Bible (Yale University Press, 2001) by providing more recent demographic data for the Persian province of Yehud and Jerusalem, calling for lower population estimates. It also expands upon Stern’s volume by emphasizing Greek influence present even during the Persian period. Chapter Two continues with the conquest of Alexander the Great and its impact within the Levant. Examining archaeological and numismatic evidence, Meyers notes that the Hellenization of the Levant through Alexander, Seleucid, and Ptolemaic rule resulted in Jewish communities who expressed themselves through Hellenistic means, eventually leading to the Maccabean uprising.
Chapter Three continues with Roman claim of the Levant. More specifically, Meyers focuses on Herod the Great and how he contributed to the regional archaeology through things like the Temple Mount, Caesarea Maritima, various other cities, and the effect of Herod’s archaeological developments upon commoners. All in all, Herod’s achievements “brought Judea into greater dialogue with the cultural current of the Roman Empire” (82), albeit simultaneously putting the region on a rocky path through notorious behavior. Chapter Four moves to Khirbet Qumran and refines chronological conclusions of the site by Roland de Vaux, reviewing the argumetns of De Vaux and Jodi Magness. In short, he concludes that regardless of the specific debates about Kihirbet Qumran, it was sectarian after 100 B.C.E. and reflects a community one with “complex common Judaism” and also unique.
Chapter Five proceeds from the end of the reign of Herod and how the division of the area into four regions destabilized the region. He explores this period through the most important archaeological finds, ranging from numismatic evidence to things like the Pool of Siloam. The evidences, argues Meyers, “provide strong support for reconstructions of early Judaism that emphasize the common elements that bound Jews together, even in the midst of the diversity reflected in ancient literary sources” (138). The destabilization of the region is further explored in Chapter Six, which focuses on major sites that speak to the Great Revolt and Bar Kokhba Rebellion. Rather than detailing the war in it’s complexities through archaeology, Alexander to Constantine focuses “on a few aspects only to get a better sense of its centrality to the history of the Holy Land for Jews and Christians” (141). He includes Galilee, Sepphoris, Yodefat, Gamla, Jerusalem, and Masada for succinct analysis of the archaeology of the rebellions. And he wraps up the chapter by detailing the consequences and results of the revolts, especially the demographic shift to Galilee from Judea in the 1st century.
Having established a solid foundation in the previous chapters, Chapters Seven through Nine focus on the emergence of Christianity, early Judaism, and paganism, and demonstrates the unique directions each religion moves towards. Chapter Ten explores how Greco-Roman culture impacted the region, with Sepphoris as a test case. Finally, Chapter Eleven wraps up the volume with brief entrance into the developments after the reign of Constantine.
Alexander to Constantine is by far one of the best works available for historical analysis of major sites written towards a non-professional audience. As part of the Anchor Bible Commentary and Reference Library, Meyers and Chancey write to a broad audience by focusing on the representative data, rather than including every piece of archaeological evidence. These standards prevent the book from becoming too technical or too simple. It is thereby able to be read and have value for scholars, students, and the public. Additionally, the overall focus, namely how Jews used Hellenism as a vehicle for expression and preservation, is consistently present. Meyers and Chancey make clear the ways in which Jews adjusted to external pressures.
Yet there were a few elements which should be refined. First, as a book written for scholars and non-professionals, I was surprised that there was no detailed map of the region. A single, detailed map would contribute to a better understanding of the information and the locations geographically. Second, at moments Meyers speaks of the prescriptions in the Torah (31, 49, 112). Too what extent, though, were these prescriptions authoritative? Were they merely normative? The issue of textual authority should be addressed because it significantly affects how 1st century history is reconstructed and perceived.
Aside from these minor critiques, Meyers’ and Chancey’s Alexander to Constantine is invaluable to students and non-professionals exploring the history of the “land of the Bible” with a focus on history through the vehicle of archaeology. For New Testament courses, it is an excellent options for alternative, supplementary reading because it moves beyond the text and emphasizes the archaeological records. With such a broad and succinct overview of a field in constant fluxuation, much of the information present may change or develop over the next decade. Being that Alexander to Constantine is already so up-to-date, I hope that there will be future editions expanding upon the information already present.
Originally posted by William Brown, myself, at the following blog page:
https://thebiblicalreview.wordpress.c...
*I would like to express my gratitude to Yale University Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. And as an additional note, Alexander to Constantine was originally published in 2012. The 2014 publication of the paperback edition.
Eric M. Meyers, biblical scholar and archaeologist at Duke University, and Mark A. Chancey, Professor of Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University, worked together to publish a third volume of a series on biblical archaeology. The first two volumes, by Amihai Mazar and Ephraim Stern, covered material up to the Hellenistic period and conquest of Alexander the Great (332 B.C.E.). Meyers and Chancey continue the history of the Levant from the transition of the Persian period to Hellenism to the rule of Constantine. More specifically, Alexander to Constantine focuses on the ways in which Judaism expressed itself through various external pressures, especially archeological currents.
Chapter One dovetails off of the end of Ephraims Stern’s volume 2 of Archaeology of the Land of the Bible (Yale University Press, 2001) by providing more recent demographic data for the Persian province of Yehud and Jerusalem, calling for lower population estimates. It also expands upon Stern’s volume by emphasizing Greek influence present even during the Persian period. Chapter Two continues with the conquest of Alexander the Great and its impact within the Levant. Examining archaeological and numismatic evidence, Meyers notes that the Hellenization of the Levant through Alexander, Seleucid, and Ptolemaic rule resulted in Jewish communities who expressed themselves through Hellenistic means, eventually leading to the Maccabean uprising.
Chapter Three continues with Roman claim of the Levant. More specifically, Meyers focuses on Herod the Great and how he contributed to the regional archaeology through things like the Temple Mount, Caesarea Maritima, various other cities, and the effect of Herod’s archaeological developments upon commoners. All in all, Herod’s achievements “brought Judea into greater dialogue with the cultural current of the Roman Empire” (82), albeit simultaneously putting the region on a rocky path through notorious behavior. Chapter Four moves to Khirbet Qumran and refines chronological conclusions of the site by Roland de Vaux, reviewing the argumetns of De Vaux and Jodi Magness. In short, he concludes that regardless of the specific debates about Kihirbet Qumran, it was sectarian after 100 B.C.E. and reflects a community one with “complex common Judaism” and also unique.
Chapter Five proceeds from the end of the reign of Herod and how the division of the area into four regions destabilized the region. He explores this period through the most important archaeological finds, ranging from numismatic evidence to things like the Pool of Siloam. The evidences, argues Meyers, “provide strong support for reconstructions of early Judaism that emphasize the common elements that bound Jews together, even in the midst of the diversity reflected in ancient literary sources” (138). The destabilization of the region is further explored in Chapter Six, which focuses on major sites that speak to the Great Revolt and Bar Kokhba Rebellion. Rather than detailing the war in it’s complexities through archaeology, Alexander to Constantine focuses “on a few aspects only to get a better sense of its centrality to the history of the Holy Land for Jews and Christians” (141). He includes Galilee, Sepphoris, Yodefat, Gamla, Jerusalem, and Masada for succinct analysis of the archaeology of the rebellions. And he wraps up the chapter by detailing the consequences and results of the revolts, especially the demographic shift to Galilee from Judea in the 1st century.
Having established a solid foundation in the previous chapters, Chapters Seven through Nine focus on the emergence of Christianity, early Judaism, and paganism, and demonstrates the unique directions each religion moves towards. Chapter Ten explores how Greco-Roman culture impacted the region, with Sepphoris as a test case. Finally, Chapter Eleven wraps up the volume with brief entrance into the developments after the reign of Constantine.
Alexander to Constantine is by far one of the best works available for historical analysis of major sites written towards a non-professional audience. As part of the Anchor Bible Commentary and Reference Library, Meyers and Chancey write to a broad audience by focusing on the representative data, rather than including every piece of archaeological evidence. These standards prevent the book from becoming too technical or too simple. It is thereby able to be read and have value for scholars, students, and the public. Additionally, the overall focus, namely how Jews used Hellenism as a vehicle for expression and preservation, is consistently present. Meyers and Chancey make clear the ways in which Jews adjusted to external pressures.
Yet there were a few elements which should be refined. First, as a book written for scholars and non-professionals, I was surprised that there was no detailed map of the region. A single, detailed map would contribute to a better understanding of the information and the locations geographically. Second, at moments Meyers speaks of the prescriptions in the Torah (31, 49, 112). Too what extent, though, were these prescriptions authoritative? Were they merely normative? The issue of textual authority should be addressed because it significantly affects how 1st century history is reconstructed and perceived.
Aside from these minor critiques, Meyers’ and Chancey’s Alexander to Constantine is invaluable to students and non-professionals exploring the history of the “land of the Bible” with a focus on history through the vehicle of archaeology. For New Testament courses, it is an excellent options for alternative, supplementary reading because it moves beyond the text and emphasizes the archaeological records. With such a broad and succinct overview of a field in constant fluxuation, much of the information present may change or develop over the next decade. Being that Alexander to Constantine is already so up-to-date, I hope that there will be future editions expanding upon the information already present.
Originally posted by William Brown, myself, at the following blog page:
https://thebiblicalreview.wordpress.c...
May 23, 2016
Unfortunately for this book, Vol 3 in the Anchor Archaeology of the Land of the Bible Series, I had just read Vol 2, by Ephraim Stern--a wonderful book, btw! Perhaps Vol 2 was just a hard act to follow, but I was hugely disappointed in Alexander to Constantine. Archaeology? What archaeology? It was a slick superficial treatment of 600 of the most complex years in the history of the Levant, accomplished in 360 pages (including index, and many pictures). As a brief introduction to the Roman period in Israel it might have been OK. As an archaeological survey it was . . . dust in my mouth, maybe?
February 13, 2013
For those interested in the history of the Biblical world based on strong evidence rather than assumptions, this is definitely a good place to start. This is a well-researched book with plenty of detail, but it also provides contextual overviews to paint the big picture. The illustrations are plentiful and very helpful. Nice work!
February 22, 2016
Bon livre, mais moins archéologique que les autres de la série
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews