ANTIQUE ENTERTAINMENT

This afternoon, I drove in the direction of Gaza to visit Ashqelon (Asjkelon) National Park. It is a large area, although not very much can be seen of its rich history. The cities first inhabitants were Canaanites who built the most expressive feature of Ashkelon, that is still seen today: a giant wall that spans around the city. Ashkelon was a Roman city long before the rest of Israel was conquered. They subdued themselves willingly, as they were not on good terms with the Jews in Juda.  The Roman remains of the city are well preserved, as they were not damaged during the Jewish wars against the Romans. I couldn't find much information about the Roman theater near the wall. "In ancient times", a Jewish magazine learns, "the seats were already taken out, which left a round pit, which led to the thought among Christians and Arabs that this was 'Abraham's Well'". The restored theater is used for modern performances. More pictures of Ashkelon can...

It is always great to be one of the first visitors of a recently discovered antiquity, like the one I found today. Just walking along the Sea of Galilee near Tiberias, I saw an excavation up on the hill. Although the premises is still completely sealed of for the general public, I could convince the diggers to let me make some pictures.  The excavations started two years ago, and a full fledged theater has been brought to light. It was constructed during the first century AD and enlarged during the second. It could host about 7.000 visitors. More information can be found here . More of my pictures can be seen here !

In 18 AD Herod founded Tiberias, named after the Emperor. Various episodes about Roman Tiberias are reported in Bellum Judaicum (the Jewish War), by Flavius Josephus, governor of Galilee (66-67 AD).  Today, I visited the archeological park in the city center. Next to the remains of the Jewish synagogue, I found this artist impression of the theater of Tiberias. Although the structural detailing does not make any sense, I just like the construction. Tomorrow, I will try to find out more about specific details and probably other remains of (amphi)theaters along the Sea of Galilee.  In her great dissertation (Stanford University, 1998), Honora Howell Chapman argues that Josephus used theater, drama and spectacle to reach his audience. Her dissertation, called 'Spectacle and Theater in Josephus' Bellum Judaicum', can be downloaded here !

Today, I visited Yarkon National Park, which comprises the Yarkon streams and wells, ancient Tel Afeq, Roman Antipatris and the Ottoman fortress Binar Bashi. Only, 25 kilometers east of Tel Aviv.  Exclusively interested in the Antipatris' odeon and not aware of the larger setting of the Roman remains, it was very hard to find out the exact location. It took me a trainticket, six plausible advices to get at the place, a tour by bus through the suburbs of Afeq Park, a 'I call the police' incident with a taxi driver and a second taxi driver (first still missing), to get at the right place. Everything at 33 degrees Celsius. People do not have a clue of these kind of curiosities within reach, although preserved at a large amount of money. This, while visiting the odeon is really worthwile a visit. It has been 'renovated' just recently, and it is funny to compare my pictures taken today, with the one I have used for an entry just two months ago. Showing the odeon ...

In 2006, I visited the amphitheater of Londinium or London. The above drawing gives a nice panoramic view over Londinium - fort and vicus - at around 200 AD, with the river Thames at the background. The amphitheater is in the lower center, close to the rectangular form (the Roman fort). Currently, the remains are buried under the medieval Guildhall.  The discovery of the Guildhall amphitheater in 1988 was proclaimed on national and international television and radio. The Observer (February, 28) described it as 'one of the most exciting archeological finds since the Second World War'. The Sunday Telegraph (March, 6) called it 'one of the most important (finds) in Britain this century'. Historians and archeologists still agree with this view. The amphitheatre may have seated more than 5000 spectators. The position of the amphitheater near to the Roman fort, suggests that the arena would have been used for entertaining soldiers as well as the general public. The amph...