There are five primary sources for the study of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Temple of Herod. They are:
The Bible
The Books of Maccabees
Josephus*
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Mishna***War book 5, chapter 5; Antiquities book 15 chapter 11
**tractates Middot, Tamid, Yoma, Shekalim
These five sources along with archaeological discoveries provide us with sufficient information about the Temple of Herod during the time of Jesus.
Source:
The ancient sun dial reveals the hours in a day. It has a surface with hour lines and a stick or gnomon which casts a shadow as the sun advances in its daily course. The sun dial is mentioned in the Bible as far back as the time of King Ahaz. Herodot...
The question of the origins of nations and peoples has fascinated humanity for centuries. From a biblical perspective, the origins of all nations can be traced back to the descendants of Noah’s three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—following the gr...
Pompey was a military genius and his soldiers recognized this and referred to him as “Magnus” which means the great, thus the name Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Source: Pompey the Great...
Matthew 17:1 – After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. In the 4th century AD a tradition was established that Mount Tabor was the scene of the transfiguration a...
Trade played a vital role in connecting civilizations and fostering cultural exchange in the ancient world. From the bustling markets of Rome to the Silk Road that stretched across Asia, ancient trade routes facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, ...
Ancient Rome is often associated with grand architecture, legendary emperors, and mighty legions. However, the daily life of women in ancient Rome remains an intriguing and less-explored aspect of this civilization. While gender roles and expectation...
According to the biblical account in Exodus 14, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea during their escape from Egypt. When they reached the shores of the sea, Moses stretched out his hand, and God caused a strong east wind to blow all night, parting the...
The Moabite Stone was discovered in 1868 about 20 miles east of the Dead Sea at Moab. It was a black and blue basalt stone dating back to around 830 BC, discovered by a German Missionary named F.A. Klein. It contains an inscription that reads: “I M...
The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall or Kotel, is a significant religious site in Jerusalem, Israel. It is a section of the retaining wall that once surrounded the Second Temple's courtyard and is revered as the most sacred site for Jewis...
The Caspian Sea was not mentioned in the Bible. In Old Testament times the Caspian Sea was mainly just a large body of water marking the northeast corner of what we recognize as the world of the Old Testament. One interesting fact is that the Caspian...
The people of ancient Greece developed unique characteristics because of the topography of their country. The coastline curved inward very peculiarly, causing the bays to become very prominent, and stretching far out into the Mediterranean Sea. This ...
Yes there are remains of a Temple of Augustus at the site of ancient Paneas or Caesarea Philippi. This illustration depicts a Temple of Augustus. The temple at Caesarea Philippi would have been built in a similar style. Augustus was fascinated with t...
In the Temple of Artemis also referred to as Diana the statue of the Roman goddess was depicted as covered entirely with breasts. This is because Diana was the goddess of fertility, and the multi-breasts were denoting fertility, nourishing the living...
The land of ancient Assyria was located in the far north of the Tigris river near modern Mosul. In their earliest history Assyria was a small territory on the left bank of the northern Tigris River. Over time their borders extended to the area be...
The etymology of the name Jerusalem is not certain; it is apparently of Semitic origin. An Egyptian notice from the third quarter of the nineteenth century B.C. mentions Urusalimum. The Assyrians called it Ursalimmu. Modern scholars take these names ...
The fall of the Roman Empire was a complex event with multiple contributing factors. Some of the main causes include: Internal Decay and Political Instability: The empire faced a decline in effective leadership, political instability, and corruption ...
Geographically, the Old Testament “world” extended from the Nile river in the south west, to eastern Greece in the north west, to the Caspian Sea on the north east to the mountains just east of the Persian Gulf on the south east. The entire area ...
Ancient Egyptians had a complex and elaborate process of mummification to preserve the bodies of the deceased for the afterlife. The process involved several steps: Removal of organs: The embalmers would first remove the internal organs, except for t...
Welcome to Free Bible: Unearthing the Past, Illuminating the Present! Step into a world where ancient history and biblical narratives intertwine, inviting you to explore the rich tapestry of human civilization.
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