24
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
The Discoveries and Their Significance
Learn what the Dead Sea Scrolls are, the story of their unlikely discovery, and the state of scholarship about ancient Judaism and early Christianity prior to the scrolls' surfacing. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls would alter our understanding of every aspect of the crucial historical period in which they were created.
1.
The Discoveries and Their Significance
|
13.
Stops and Starts En Route to Publication
The story of the Dead Sea Scrolls involves much more than just archaeology and analysis. This lecture takes you into the intrigue, scholarly rivalry, and sometimes astonishing delays that marked the scrolls' long journey from discovery to complete publication.
13.
Stops and Starts En Route to Publication
|
2.
The First Seven Scrolls
Plunge into a tale of excitement and adventure and discover more about how scholars gained access to the first seven scrolls discovered at Qumran—and what they found when they began to translate these extraordinary initial discoveries.
2.
The First Seven Scrolls
|
14.
The Qumran Vision for a New Temple
Explore in detail the Temple Scroll, which reworked the Torah's laws, using the book of Deuteronomy as a base. Also, learn how a key shift in the text's narrative voice—to that of God speaking in the first person—has drawn attention to a major belief central to the Qumran sect.
14.
The Qumran Vision for a New Temple
|
3.
Opening and Reading the First Scroll
This lecture begins your immersion into the text of the scrolls themselves, starting with the scroll known as the Community Rule or Manual of Discipline—the important text that gives us our first insight into the community and theology of the scrolls' creators and guardians.
3.
Opening and Reading the First Scroll
|
15.
Daily Life at Qumran
How did the Qumran community go about its daily life? This lecture integrates both textual and archaeological data to examine the sect's social structure, economy, farming, food production, and the question of women at Qumran.
15.
Daily Life at Qumran
|
4.
The Historical Backdrop of Ancient Judaism
Consider history prior to the scrolls, beginning with the biblical period and moving forward to focus on the Maccabean revolt, the arrival of the Romans, the reign of King Herod, the life of Jesus, the Zealot uprising, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the fall of Masada.
4.
The Historical Backdrop of Ancient Judaism
|
16.
The Halakhic Letter—Rituals Define the Sect
This treatise on 20 points of Jewish law, written by the Qumran sect's leader, was published in modern form 40 years after its discovery. Follow the twists and turns of that story before delving into the contents of this foundational text for the Qumran community.
16.
The Halakhic Letter—Rituals Define the Sect
|
5.
The Rise of the Jewish Sects
Gain insight into the appearance of Jewish sectarianism in late antiquity—focusing primarily on the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots—through the Jewish historian Josephus, along with the Jewish philosopher Philo, the authors of the New Testament books, the later rabbis, and even the Roman polymath Pliny the Elder.
5.
The Rise of the Jewish Sects
|
17.
The Qumran Biblical Canon
When the Qumran community existed, the biblical canon was not yet fixed, with different Jewish groups seeing as canonical some texts that others did not. Examine some texts shedding light on the Qumran canon, including the Genesis Apocryphon and its detailed elaboration of Sarah's physical beauty.
17.
The Qumran Biblical Canon
|
6.
The Dead Sea Site of the Qumran Sect
Journey to the isolated region of Qumran's caves and learn how archaeological excavations of a nearby ruin helped scholars form the most accepted hypothesis of who wrote the scrolls and why the scrolls were deposited in the caves.
6.
The Dead Sea Site of the Qumran Sect
|
18.
The Qumran Calendar
Look at the ways in which the arrangement of the yearly calendar influenced the practice of faith, and how the Qumran community used a different calendar from other Jews of the time.
18.
The Qumran Calendar
|
7.
The Emergence of the Rabbinic System
Step forward in time to examine some later rabbinic texts from the 3rd century and the rise of the rabbinical tradition itself, both of which provide vital perspectives on the composition of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
7.
The Emergence of the Rabbinic System
|
19.
Jewish Scholars and Qumran Ritual Practices
Return to the process by which the scrolls were published, learning how several key events in 1991 ultimately shattered the scholarly monopoly and paved the way for close examination of religious practices at Qumran, including the use of tefillin, the mezuzah, and the recitation of Grace after Meals.
19.
Jewish Scholars and Qumran Ritual Practices
|
8.
A Dead Sea Scroll from Medieval Cairo
Focus on the famous Damascus Document, two copies of which were discovered in a Cairo synagogue in the 1890s. Although the copies were medieval, the texts themselves were believed to be ancient—a conclusion later confirmed when fragments of the same texts were found at Qumran.
8.
A Dead Sea Scroll from Medieval Cairo
|
20.
Prayers, Hymns, and the Synagogue
Continue your focus on Jewish ritual at Qumran, with special attention to prayer and the role of the synagogue, before turning to the last of the original seven documents to be examined in this course, a lengthy collection of poetry known as the Thanksgiving Hymns.
20.
Prayers, Hymns, and the Synagogue
|
9.
Pesher Interpretation—Prophecy Read Anew
Look at a scroll known as the Pesher Habakkuk, the most prominent representative of an interpretive method whereby the true message of a biblical book is read as speaking to present-day conditions, as opposed to the original setting centuries earlier.
9.
Pesher Interpretation—Prophecy Read Anew
|
21.
Qumran Hebrew as an Anti-Language
Turn to the dialect used in the Dead Sea Scrolls known to scholars as "Qumran Hebrew"—an example of the sociolinguistic phenomenon of "anti-language"—and investigate how it could be used by the sect to set itself apart.
21.
Qumran Hebrew as an Anti-Language
|
10.
The War Scroll and Other Apocalyptic Texts
Two key scrolls—one of which details a cataclysmic battle between the "Sons of Light" (the Qumran sect's self-designation) and the "Sons of Darkness" (all other Jews, apparently)—offer you a window into apocalyptic belief among the Dead Sea sectarians.
10.
The War Scroll and Other Apocalyptic Texts
|
22.
The Enigma of the Copper Scroll
Learn how the Qumran community's most remarkable and puzzling text—the corroded metal sheets of which needed to be cut apart into strips to permit reading—proved to contain obscure hints of the locations of vast and specific amounts of gold, silver, and other treasure.
22.
The Enigma of the Copper Scroll
|
11.
Biblical Manuscripts at Qumran
Using clarifying examples of biblical text, enter the arcane world of textual criticism, learning about the transmission of texts in antiquity, the oral reading tradition, the translation of the Bible into Greek, the Samaritan version of the Torah, and, of course, the Qumran biblical manuscripts themselves.
11.
Biblical Manuscripts at Qumran
|
23.
Connections to Christianity
There are many links between the Dead Sea Scrolls sect and the Jesus movement. This lecture gathers connections already mentioned in earlier lectures and further explores beliefs and practices shared by the Qumran sect and earliest Christianity.
23.
Connections to Christianity
|
12.
Alternative Views of Qumran and the Scrolls
Most scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls were authored by a Jewish sect identified with the Essenes, who then hid the documents from the advancing Roman army in 68 C.E. This is not the only view, however. In this lecture, learn about several dissenting views.
12.
Alternative Views of Qumran and the Scrolls
|
24.
Scroll Fragments and a New View of Judaism
Even quite fragmentary scrolls offer new insights. This lecture samples three such fragments, turns to the ultimate fates of the different sects, and then concludes with a look at lessons the scrolls offer us today.
24.
Scroll Fragments and a New View of Judaism
|
36
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
The Land of Canaan
What do we mean by “holy land”? What is the difference between archaeology and history? How reliable is the Hebrew Bible as a window into life in ancient Israel? Discover answers to these and other questions in this introductory lecture, and take a peek at the region's earliest recorded inhabitants, the Canaanites.
1.
The Land of Canaan
|
19.
Herod as Builder—Jerusalem's Temple Mount
In the first of several lectures on Herod's great buildings, many of which served as the backdrop to Jesus's life and ministry, walk through the reconstructed Second Temple and Temple Mount. You'll visit the remains of magnificent structures, including Solomon's Stables, Robinson's Arch, the Western Wall, and the Hulda Gates.
19.
Herod as Builder—Jerusalem's Temple Mount
|
2.
The Arrival of the Israelites
Explore what archaeologists have uncovered about the arrival of the Israelites into Canaan. Among the many intriguing artifacts you examine are an ancient Egyptian stele featuring the earliest reference to Israel, the remains of Jericho's walls, and a Philistine temple similar to the one Samson destroyed in the book of Judges.
2.
The Arrival of the Israelites
|
20.
Caesarea Maritima—Harbor and Showcase City
During his reign, Herod also built Greco-Roman style cities in his non-Jewish territories. Here, Professor Magness guides you through the most famous of these: the port city of Caesarea Maritima (where Paul was imprisoned, according to Acts 23–24). Comb through the ruins of the city's harbor, hippodrome, aqueducts, and more.
20.
Caesarea Maritima—Harbor and Showcase City
|
3.
Jerusalem—An Introduction to the City
Here, survey the topography and layout of Jerusalem—perhaps the most important city in religious history. Then, review biblical accounts of Jerusalem from the arrival of David around 1000 B.C.E. to the start of the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C.E. (including the remains of a dramatic Assyrian siege on the city of Lachish).
3.
Jerusalem—An Introduction to the City
|
21.
From Herod's Last Years to Pontius Pilate
Visit Herod's winter palace at Jericho, where he spent his final years, and his fortified palace at Herodium, where—in 2007—archaeologists discovered his tomb. Then, explore the divided kingdom he left to his three sons, with a special focus on the rule of Herod Antipas (who would play a critical role in Jesus's story).
21.
From Herod's Last Years to Pontius Pilate
|
4.
The Jerusalem of David and Solomon
In this first lecture on the remains of the biblical City of David, comb through the fascinating remains of a scribe's house located behind a city wall; grasp the development of biblical Hebrew script; and examine rare examples of this script in a clay sealing, a piece of pottery, and a victory stele.
4.
The Jerusalem of David and Solomon
|
22.
Galilee—Setting of Jesus's Life and Ministry
Tour the remains of Galilean towns and villages that date back to the time of Jesus, including Sepphoris (with its theater) and Capernaum (with its neighborhood of private houses). Then, conclude with a look at the recent discovery of a house at Nazareth that may shed light on Jesus's boyhood.
22.
Galilee—Setting of Jesus's Life and Ministry
|
5.
Biblical Jerusalem's Ancient Water Systems
Continue your archaeological exploration of the City of David by focusing on its ancient water system, centered on the Gihon Spring. Learn about the three different water systems that were created—Warren's Shaft, Siloam Channel, and the impressive engineering feat of Hezekiah's Tunnel—due to the spring's location outside the city walls.
5.
Biblical Jerusalem's Ancient Water Systems
|
23.
Synagogues in the Time of Jesus
What do we know about the synagogues that served as the setting for the teachings of Jesus and Paul? After surveying the history of this religious institution, explore some of history's earliest synagogues at sites such as Masada, Gamla, and the most recent one uncovered in 2009 at Migdal.
23.
Synagogues in the Time of Jesus
|
6.
Samaria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel
Turn now to Israel as it was ruled under the Omride dynasty between Solomon's death and the Assyrian invasion in 722 B.C.E. Here, explore important ruins, including the High Place at Dan (where the cult statue of a golden calf once resided) and the acropolis at Samaria (which holds the remains of King Ahab's palace).
6.
Samaria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel
|
24.
Sites of the Trial and Final Hours of Jesus
Explore the Antonia Fortress, the Church of the Sisters of Zion, three successive lines of fortification walls, the ruins of a burnt Jewish villa, and other archaeological finds in Jerusalem intricately linked with both the final days of Jesus's life and the city's destruction in 70 C.E. by the Romans.
24.
Sites of the Trial and Final Hours of Jesus
|
7.
Fortifications and Cult Practices
Delve into aspects of everyday life in the kingdoms of ancient Israel. Focus on how elaborately recessed gates were designed to protect cities like Gezer from enemies, and how altars, amulets, painted figures, and inscribed pottery vessels reflect the religious beliefs and practices at Kuntillet Ajrud and other sites.
7.
Fortifications and Cult Practices
|
25.
Early Jewish Tombs in Jerusalem
Chart the development of ancient Jewish rock-cut tombs and burial customs. First, peer inside an Iron-Age cemetery at Ketef Hinnom and view the scant remains of the epic Mausoleum at Halicarnassos. Then, ponder the undiscovered Tomb of the Maccabees, and crawl through the burial chambers of Jason's Tomb in Jerusalem.
25.
Early Jewish Tombs in Jerusalem
|
8.
Babylonian Exile and the Persian Restoration
In 539 B.C.E., after the Babylonians were subsumed by the Persian Empire, the exiled Judeans were allowed to return to Jerusalem. So what happened next? Find out with this penetrating look at the Persian administration of the Holy Land, the influence of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the birth of early Judaism.
8.
Babylonian Exile and the Persian Restoration
|
26.
Monumental Tombs in the Time of Jesus
Turn now to burial customs spanning the Second Temple period, with a particular emphasis on the use of stone ossuaries to store the bones of the deceased. You'll also examine stunning examples of the more than 900 rock-cut tombs that have been discovered around Jerusalem, including the Tomb of Bene Hezir and Nicanor's Tomb.
26.
Monumental Tombs in the Time of Jesus
|
9.
Alexander the Great and His Successors
Alexander the Great's conquests of the Near East introduced Greek culture to the Holy Land. Professor Magness uses archaeological findings— including the personal belongings of murdered Samaritans and the remains of towers at an ancient fortification—to illustrate the profound influences of Alexander and his successors.
9.
Alexander the Great and His Successors
|
27.
The Burials of Jesus and James
Place the Gospel accounts of the death and burial of Jesus within an archaeological context. The highlight of this lecture is the discussion of two recent—and highly controversial—discoveries: the Talpiyot Tomb (the supposed tomb of Jesus and his family) and the James Ossuary (connected to Jesus's brother).
27.
The Burials of Jesus and James
|
10.
The Hellenization of Palestine
Continue examining the Hellenistic influence on the Holy Land—this time on non-Jewish populations in the area. Focus on three distinct cities: Iraq el-Amir (with the remains of an impressive temple or pleasure palace); Marisa (with its fascinating series of caves); and Tel Dor (with its distinctly Hellenistic architectural style).
10.
The Hellenization of Palestine
|
28.
The First Jewish Revolt; Jerusalem Destroyed
Relive the first Jewish revolt against Rome between 66 and 70 C.E. You'll follow the infighting among Jewish rebel groups, explore the sites of fierce battles between rebels and Roman soldiers, and follow the tactics of Roman generals such as Vespasian and Titus as they besiege Jerusalem.
28.
The First Jewish Revolt; Jerusalem Destroyed
|
11.
The Maccabean Revolt
Turn now to the impact of the Greeks on the Jewish population of Judea. Tour the tumultuous years between 167 and 103 B.C.E., which saw Antiochus IV's imposition of Greek beliefs on the population; the subsequent revolt under Judah Maccabee; the reigns of the Hasmoneans; and more.
11.
The Maccabean Revolt
|
29.
Masada—Herod's Desert Palace and the Siege
After the end of the first Jewish revolt, three Herodian fortresses remained occupied by Jewish rebels. The most famous of these: Masada. Here, discover what archaeological evidence reveals about how an estimated 8,000 Roman soldiers encircled the mountain, built camps, and laid siege to the fortress and its 967 rebels.
29.
Masada—Herod's Desert Palace and the Siege
|
12.
The Hasmonean Kingdom
In this investigation of the Hasmoneans, meet individuals including the cruel king Alexander Jannaeus and his accomplished queen and widow, and examine the civil war between their successors. Then, meet their neighbors to the south: the Nabataeans, a desert people best known for the tombs cut into the cliff faces of their capital city at Petra (in modern-day Jordan).
12.
The Hasmonean Kingdom
|
30.
Flavius Josephus and the Mass Suicide
Pore over the remains of a ramp that was instrumental in the Roman victory at Masada. Then, take a closer look at controversies over the mass suicide of the Jewish rebels and the views of the historian Josephus—whose writings are our most important source of information about this event.
30.
Flavius Josephus and the Mass Suicide
|
13.
Pharisees and Sadducees
By the mid-2nd century B.C.E., various Jewish sects had established themselves. Here, compare and contrast two of the most dominant of these sects: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. What parts of society did they represent? What were their views on religious innovation and free will? With which group did Jesus probably debate?
13.
Pharisees and Sadducees
|
31.
The Second Jewish Revolt against the Romans
Investigate archaeological finds from the last 50 years that have shed unprecedented new light on the second major Jewish uprising: the Bar-Kokhba Revolt. Central to this lecture are two mysterious caves—the Cave of Letters and the Cave of Horror—whose contents tell us much about the Jewish families who hid there.
31.
The Second Jewish Revolt against the Romans
|
14.
Discovery and Site of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Travel to Qumran, the archaeological site located adjacent to the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were uncovered in the late 1940s. As you tour the caves and the site itself (including an ancient scriptorium and dining room), you'll learn what scholars know about the mysterious community that once lived there.
14.
Discovery and Site of the Dead Sea Scrolls
|
32.
Roman Jerusalem—Hadrian's Aelia Capitolina
The Roman emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as the pagan city Aelia Capitolina. Witness the results of his rule, including the iconic Damascus Gate, a towering statue of Hadrian, and two public forums built at the northern and western ends of the city.
32.
Roman Jerusalem—Hadrian's Aelia Capitolina
|
15.
The Sectarian Settlement at Qumran
Continue touring the site at Qumran, with a focus on three distinctive features of the settlement. These are animal bones found in pots; an elaborate water system that channeled flash floods into pools used for ritual bathing; and a vast cemetery containing more than 1,000 graves.
15.
The Sectarian Settlement at Qumran
|
33.
Christian Emperors and Pilgrimage Sites
The legalization of Christianity under Constantine radically transformed the landscape of ancient Israel. In the first of two lectures on the Holy Land under the Byzantine Empire, tour two major churches built during this period: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the once-lost Nea Church devoted to Mary.
33.
Christian Emperors and Pilgrimage Sites
|
16.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essenes
Scholars believe the Qumran community, commonly identified with the Essenes, was a sect that lived in anticipation of the End of Days. What was it like to be a member of this ascetic community? What strict codes of purity did it live by? What is Jesus's relationship to this apocalyptic group?
16.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essenes
|
34.
Judaism and Synagogues under Christian Rule
As Christianity spread across the Holy Land, synagogues became increasingly larger and more elaborate in an attempt to bolster Judaism. See how this was done by peering closely at the remains of the synagogues at Capernaum, Hammath Tiberias, and Beth Alpha—as well as their (sometimes surprising) decorations.
34.
Judaism and Synagogues under Christian Rule
|
17.
The Life of the Essenes
In this final lecture on the Qumran sect, investigate the ancient latrines and hygienic practices of the community. Your three sources for insights into this little-explored aspect of everyday life: passages from the Dead Sea Scrolls, observations by the historian Josephus, and remains unearthed from the archaeological site itself.
17.
The Life of the Essenes
|
35.
Islam's Transformation of Jerusalem
The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are the two most potent examples of the spread of Islam into the Holy Land beginning in the mid-7th century C.E. Discover what archaeologists have learned about these two spectacular buildings and their importance to the Muslim faith.
35.
Islam's Transformation of Jerusalem
|
18.
From Roman Annexation to Herod the Great
Witness the rise of Herod the Great—the ruthless king who governed Judea between 40 and 4 B.C.E. and who is most infamous for ordering the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem. It's an engrossing tale filled with court intrigue, jealousy, warfare, betrayal, and murder.
18.
From Roman Annexation to Herod the Great
|
36.
What and How Archaeology Reveals
What is it like to work alongside an archaeologist in the field? In Professor Magness's final lecture, experience how archaeologists reconstruct their delicate pictures of the past—from deciding where to start digging to reassembling broken artifacts uncovered from the earth to publishing their eye-opening findings and conclusions.
36.
What and How Archaeology Reveals
|