Upcoming archeological tour . . .

[indianasmith]

In March I will be traveling, along with a group of grad students from the Austin Graduate School of Theology's Biblical Archeology program and some interested laymen, to Israel on a ten day archeological tour.  We are scheduled to visit about 30 different sites and spend one entire day assisting on an excavation at a 3000 year old village mentioned by name in the Old Testament.  I'll get to see Pilate's amphitheater in Caesarea, Herod's fortress, Masada, Qumran, and many other places!  I am very excited about this opportunity and will share some pictures when the time comes, if you guys would like to see them!

[guy]

Sounds like fun. Share some pictures.

 

Be safe.

 

 

guy

[caesar novus]

I am so jealous, but at least got to see a PBS "Timescanners: Jerusalem" documentary of King Herod's architecture 3D laser scanned. And listened to a 36 lecture course called "Holy Land Revealed" http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/holy-land-revealed.html that I wish you could listen to and comment on. It looks crazy expensive, but there are 70 to 85% discounts if you push the right buttons, and would make great listening on the plane with noise cancel headphones. Sometimes found at libraries in CD or DVD form.

 

With a heavy archo background she puts a different spin on the history, like the massacre of innocents could only have happened outside the timeframe of Herod's life for some logical reasoning I forget. Explained the problem of temple moneychangers as needed because most coinage was watered down metal and temple wanted pure ones. Other issue was the temple tax had been turned from once in a lifetime to yearly. Not an issue of money or handlers being so bad. I wonder how accepted her many corrections to history are... I think it was done from a secular jewish framework a number of years ago.

Edited January 7, 2016 by caesar novus

[indianasmith]

I think that the "Massacre of the Infants" is certainly within the scope of Herod's cruelty and abilities; what most people forget is  that Bethlehem was a town of around 200 or so at the end of Herod's reign.  The murder of every male child below the age of 2 would have been less than 10% of that number, most likely.  It may have been too small an event to have been recalled by Josephus nearly a century later.  But we know that such violence was certainly not out of character with Herod, who had five of his own sons put to death.

[caesar novus]

She also said that there were very few innocents to kill, but I guess is with the majority of recent Herod biographers who have doubts. When they work thru references to eclipses etc that were observed at the time, Herod appears to die early in 4bc and was sick leading up to that, so maybe out of the picture before any slaughter would be called for.

 

I guess I have a personal bias for creators of magnificent architecture being not all bad. In the 20th century the dictators created hideous architecture. When you look at fort Herodium in 3d, not only were the exposed levels amazing, but the underground cisterns dwarf the entire hill. One is open for visit, but I believe there were about six in pie-slice fashion and took umpteen years to fill in that desert.

 

That archeologist was very involved in Masada digs, and said she was the only one allowed to dig Roman camps there. She is among those archeos who think the evidence supposedly for suicide there have other strong explanations. Anyway she has endless discussions of what may have been where in Jerusalem 2000 years ago that may interest some.

Edited January 16, 2016 by caesar novus

[jamesacevedor]

That sounds like an incredible and enriching experience you have ahead of you! Your upcoming archaeological tour in Israel with the grad students from the Austin Graduate School of Theology's Biblical Archaeology program sounds fascinating.

Visiting around 30 different archaeological sites in just ten days will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the region's rich historical and biblical significance. It's amazing that you'll have the opportunity to actively participate in an excavation at a 3000-year-old village mentioned in the Old Testament. Being able to contribute to uncovering the past firsthand is an extraordinary privilege.

The itinerary you mentioned is filled with iconic sites, each with its own historical and cultural significance. From exploring Pilate's amphitheater in Caesarea and Herod's fortress to experiencing the remarkable story of Masada and visiting Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, every location holds immense historical value.

We would love to see the pictures you capture during your tour! Feel free to share them with us when the time comes. Your visual documentation will undoubtedly offer a glimpse into the fascinating world of archaeology and transport us to the ancient sites you explore.

Enjoy every moment of your archaeological tour in Israel, and may it deepen your understanding of history, culture, and the biblical narrative. Safe travels, and we eagerly await the opportunity to see the captivating photographs you'll share!

[caesar novus]

The above post clearly seems like AI gibberish, playing games with an obsolete thread. What is the motivation of the poster for such a thing? Play with chatgp or whatever on your own, but don't waste others time with your obvious fakery. I suppose this was an experiment to see if you could rope in a gullible person, then later use developing skills to rope people into profitable frauds.

Addendum: The only other post  by this person long ago was also gibberish, and the moderator had to edit out some included link. I don't see a way to flag spammers here, altho maybe others know and can do it.

Edited July 10, 2023 by caesar novus