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 ...

Last month, I learned that there are much more Roman theaters in Judea (Israel, Palestine and Syria) than the five I was aware of. Next to Herodium , Caesarea , Beth She'an (Scythopolis), Zippori (Diocaesarea) and Shuni , ten (sic!) more theaters have been excavated. Elussa (1), Antipatris (2), Dora (3), Gadara (4), Hippos (5), Samaria Sebaste (6), Jericho (7), Tiberias (8), Legio (9) and Mamas (10). I received some pictures from the internet, among the one of Antipatris. At this old picture, excavations were still going on. The small theater, unearthed at Aphek-Antipatris, is located at the southern part of the ancient tell on which Roman Antipatris was built. The theater faces east, with its stage building parallel to the southern part of the cardo which traverses the city north to south. Because of its small dimension, the excavators of Antipatris have called it an odeon. Since, in their opinion, it was never completed and because of its poor state of preservation, a full plan...

About a year ago, TimesOnline mentioned a newly discovered theater at the 'Herodium'. This mausoleum of King Herod, who ruled Judea from 37 BC to 4 BC, was built at a hilltop, nine miles south of Jerusalem. In an ealier entry I already wrote about Herod ( July, 2009 ), and I recommend reading 'The Jewish War' or Bellum Judaicum by Flavius Josephus. The theater, just below and to the west of the mausoleum, fitted about 650-750 specatators and contained a loggia, located at the the top of the theater seats, decorated with wall paintings and plaster mouldings. The wall paintings were produced around 15-10 BC. With this date, they were probably painted for the visit of the Roman general Marcus Agrippa in 15 BC. The subject of the painting is highly unusual for Israel, since it shows living creatures, a dog and a deer. The colors, even after all this years, are still stunning. Information and picture of the painting is taken from http://www.bible-lands.net/ . Next time in ...

This summer, I passed the Palestinian National Theatre in Jerusalem (PNT). PNT is a Palestinian non profit cultural institution which "strives to create and to develop a unique cultural life in Jerusalem, by way of producing and presenting artistic, educational and entertaining programs that reflect the aspirations of the Palestinian people". Due to financial problems and the tensions within the city, the theater is hardly in use anymore. Another theater in Judaea which is out of duty, is the Roman theater in Nablus at the West Bank, or Flavia Neapolis . It is the largest theater in this once Roman province, but in very poor shape. The Palestinian Authority does not have the funds to restore this great site. When I compare this rubble with the splendid restored theater at Beth She'an , hardly 15 kilometers away to the northeast, but in Israel, I want to establish a special fundraising Foundation to get the restoration of this theater done! Who is in? I have not visit...

"Happy is the man who did not go to theaters and to circuses of those who worship the stars": Babylonian Talmud, Avoda Zara 18b. Although ancient Zippori, Sepphoris or Diocaesarea is situated only 5 kilometers from Nazareth, it took me quite some time lecturing several Arab-Christian taxi drivers about the existence of the site. In which I failed, as being dropped off at the wrong place. I still had to walk several kilometers to get even halfway. Fortunatelly, I was rescued by an Amsterdam rabbi leading a group of tourists, who took me aboard his minibus and transported me to the place to be! Zippori was a major Roman and Byzantine city. the capital of the Galilee province. The city may get its name from the Hebrew word "tsipor" (bird), because the view from the town gives a sense of flying. The history of the city : .... (to be continued). More pictures? click !

Visiting Bet She’an by public transport is quite an achievement. Close to the Jordan border and north of the West Bank, it takes almost two hours from Nazareth to get to the premises. But the reward is stunning. Especially, with a severe sunstroke! When Scythopolis, current Bet She’an, came under Roman rule in 63 BC, the city already had a remarkable track record of prosperity and political influence. Noteworthy are the many Biblical references, but it was also seat of the Egyptian occupation of Canaan, during the 16th to 12th century BC. Later it belonged to a group of ten Hellenistic city states – called Decapolis – that emerged around 175 BC. The choice of name, 'Scythopolis', was to stress the link with the Greek culture and the Greek God of wine Dionysus. According to Pliny the Elder, Dionysus founded the town, accompanied by his Scythian guards.Although the theater is remarkably well renovated, it also derives its fame from the great scenery modern visitors can enjoy,...

Today, I visited the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It exposes a large model of that city during the reign of king Herod. The model shows a splendid theater of stone, just near the Roman quarters. The voice over at the model explicitely tells about the theater as a wooden construction. Although it doesn't give a full answer to the 'wood or stone' question, I stop my investigations on this. The Second Temple of Jerusalem, during the reign of Herod the Great. Herod, by the way, got his youngest son Jonathan, age seventeen, drowned by Herod's Gaul body guards in a swimming pool in Jericho. The boy did not seem to perform as a high priest during his first day in office. Herod the Pig! One of the many rather blunt episodes, while reading the Bellum Judaicum , or 'The Jewish War' of Flavius Josephus. But although this story has nothing to do with the topic of this blog, it catches the Zeitgeist of the era. For more stunning details: BJ I.431.

Tomorrow, I will travel to Jerusalem in search of the Theater of Herod. It seems quite an achievement to find any remains of the theater in this city, so packed with memorabilia of world class. But maybe the reason is simple. Scholar Patrick Joseph proposed in 2003, that Herod's theater in Jerusalem was a temporary wooden structure, in line with contemporary practice at Rome during that time. Remains are therefore ... zero. Also read my message ‘Luxe penthouse in Rome’. The theater is mentioned in the writings of Flavius Josephus only in conjunction with the celebrations in honour of Augustus instituted by Herod in the city in 28 BC. But it is not mentioned at all in the lengthy descriptions regarding the Great Jewish Revolt, which are full with topographical data. As for its decorations, Flavius Josephus plainly says that they were covering a wooden scaffolding; they were not relief work in stone. Indirect proof in favour of Patrick Joseph's proposal are Flavius Josephus...

No, I didn't attend a concert yesterday evening, but the theater of Shuni provides artists a good stage. To visit the theater of ancient Meyamas or Shuni, you have to collect the key to the premises at the office of Park Jabotinsky, near Benyamina. The site is only partly excavated, not among the archeological hit charts of the region and so I reached the park by hitchhiking. The remains of the theater are limited, but because of its particular use during Roman times – for theatrical performances and for the ‘pagan’ water rituals or Mayumas celebrations – it is worth while visiting. It is located at the edge of Carmel Mountain range, close to the sweet water springs of Nahal Taninim. Caesarea, located eight kilometers from Mayumas, had become the administrative center of Roman Palestine, and needed three aqueducts to supply the water needs of its population. The oldest of the three aqueducts carried water from the Shuni spring. There were in fact two springs at Shuni; in addit...

In June 1961 Italian archaeologists led by Dr. Frova found this limestone block in the theater of Caesarea . It was in secondary use and it bears the name of P ontius Pilatus. Pontius Pilate governed for eleven years as the fifth Roman prefect, or procurator, of Judea. His name has gone down in history because of the New Testament account of the trial of Jesus of Nazareth, which he presided over, sentencing Jesus to death by crucifixion. Both Josephus Flavius and Philo of Alexandria describe Pilate as a cruel and unpopular ruler. Unlike his predecessors, he was completely insensitive to the religious sentiments of the local population. On one occasion, Pilate attempted to bring military standards bearing the likeness of the emperor into Jerusalem, deeply offending the Jews. He even confiscated funds from the Temple treasury in order to construct a large aqueduct for Jerusalem, and then mercilessly suppressed the protest that erupted in response. In the end, this notorious procurator ...

One of the most impressive constructions in Caesarea is the Roman hippodrome, or racecourse for horses and carriots. Herod himself ordered its construction, shortly after he founded the city. It was 300 meters long and fifty meters wide. About 15,000 seats are counted! Of both constructions, theater and hippodrome, you can watch a 3D animation . More pictures of Caesarea you can find: here !

The extended excavations of Colonia Prima Flavia Augusta Felix Caesarea Metropolis Provinciae Syriae Palestinae , to be precise, are both impressive and mediocre. Impressive, because of the scale of the area; mediocre because it needs a lot of imagination to get an idea of the grandeur of this once so important Roman harbour. Despite the 'Time Track' -het klank & licht spel -, its hard to get a real touch of the eminent importance of the city. In which my celebrated Origenes founded the Caesarea library with 30.000 scriptures and in which he drafted the Hexapla. But that's only one minor detail in the rich history of the city. As you can see, the theater can host about 4,000 spectators. But alike most of the remains, it has been substantially restored. The picture of 1966 below, shows the theater without the upperrows. They have been added during the restorations. I measured the orchestra; it has a width of approximately 24 and a depth of 15 meters.

Tomorrow, I plan to travel to Caesarea, the Roman city built over the site of a Phoenician port and dedicated to Augustus Caesar. In 'The Jewish War' , Flavius Josephus gave a 'lavish' description of the splendour of the city, built under the reign of King Herod. You can find the original text at http://www.gutenberg.org/ , chapter 21, paragraph 5. A lready I have learned the good pronunciation of Caesarea by an Israelian acquaintance. Don't put the emphasis on the first syllable of 'Caesar'-ea, but on the last Cae-'sarea'. Odd. Hopefully, it won't be as warm tomorrow as it is today, 33 degree Celsius!

From July, 8 until 24th 2009, I will travel throught Israel and plan to visit the theaters of Caesarea, Beth She'an (Scythopolis), Sepphoris (Zippori) and Shuni. When possible, you'll find the appropriate pictures - possibly picked from the internet, before I have edited my own - and some background stories at this blog.