The Jews in the Time of Jesus: A History

by Peter Connolly

Peter Connolly's book brings to life the people and events of a crucial period in the history of the world. Spanning a hundred years that culminate in the fall of Masada in 73 AD, Connolly reconstructs the daily life of the Jewish people in Judea and Galilee, and especially in Jerusalem.
The book's fascinating illustrations reveal the details of everyday life, domestic, religious, and military. There is a clear description of the geography of the Holy Land and an explanation of what archaeological discoveries have taught us about the past.
For all who are interested in Jewish history, the ancient world, and the beginnings of Christianity, this book offers important information with unique clarity.

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 1995

About the author

Peter Connolly was a renowned British scholar of the ancient world, Greek and Roman military equipment historian, re-constructional archaeologist and illustrator. A research Fellow at Oxford in England. He was a regular contributor to such periodicals as the Journal of Roman Military Equipment and Roman Frontier Studies.

Reviews

[Nadvornix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Connolly's reconstructions are wonderful. Skip the rest of the book.
There aren't as many reconstructions as I had hoped. For some reason, Connolly often paints things like "a mat in the state it was found in the present day", where a photograph would have done the job just as well. And Connolly could save time and paint another reconstruction.
Similarly, there are plenty of photographs of present-day landscapes, but with no reflection on how the climate has changed since antiquity. Josephus, describes Galilee as a place where "every inch of soil has been cultivated by the inhabitants."
The maps also aren't very well made. The text accompanying a map frequently refers to places that aren't marked on the map itself.

[Mano Chil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read and info

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations really bring Jerusalem near the end of the Second Temple period to life.