Jerusalem Pilgrimage Road finally opens to public

ARCHAEOLOGY AND TOURISM: 2,000-year-old Pilgrimage Road to Temple Mount opens to public after years of digging. Millennia after being buried, street once traversed by millions of faithful from southern end of ancient Jerusalem to Western Wall can once again be walked by visitors (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

On January 20, the Ganeles family was among a group of roughly 30 people to take an inaugural walk up the road. Starting from an area where the archaeologists believe the ancient Siloam pool stood at the entrance of the ancient city, in what is today the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, the largely subterranean road runs underneath modern infrastructure for several hundred meters to the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden adjacent to the Western Wall.

The road was formally opened by dignitaries back in September 2025, but now it's open to the public. For more on the Jerusalem Pilgrimage Road excavation and its discoveries, start here and follow the many links.

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Aramaic funerary inscription discovered in eastern Türkiye

ARAMAIC WATCH: Greek Period Aramaic Inscription Reveals Local Elites of Ancient Sophene (Abdul Moeed, Greek Reporter).

A rare Greek (Hellenistic) period Aramaic inscription uncovered at Rabat Fortress in eastern Turkey is providing the first direct evidence of local elites in the ancient Kingdom of Sophene (Greek:Σωφηνή), reshaping scholarly understanding of power and identity in this little-documented region.

The stone inscription, dating to the second century BC, was found reused in a village stable near the fortress during archaeological surveys. Though long exposed to earthquakes and reconstruction, the artifact remained intact.

[...]

Arkeonews has a more detailed article by Leman Altuntaş, but you have to watch an ad to read it:

First Local Aramaic Inscription of the Ancient Kingdom of Sophene Discovered, Dating to the Hellenistic Period

The Syriac Press also has a briefer article that summarizes some information from the latter:

Discovery of first Middle Aramaic inscription from the second century BC sheds light on allegiance and status of local elite in the kingdom of Sophene

For more on the ancient kingdom of Sophene, see here.

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Review of Amitay, Alexander the Great in Jerusalem

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: myth and history.

Ory Amitay, Alexander the Great in Jerusalem: myth and history. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2025. Pp. 220. ISBN 9780198929529.

Review by
Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. magness@email.unc.edu

This book is only marginally concerned with whether Alexander the Great ever visited Jerusalem—an historical question that Ory Amitay ultimately leaves unanswered. Instead, it is mostly about stories describing a visit by Alexander to Jerusalem, which were composed at different times and in different places. Amitay examines four main versions of these stories ...

I have noted the book already here and here.

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Tu B'Shevat 2026

TU B'SHEVAT, the "New Year for Trees," begins this evening at sundown. Best wishes to all those celebrating.

Last year's Tu B'Shevat post is here.

For biblical background, see here. The name "New Year for Trees" comes from Mishnah Rosh HaShanah 1.1. That passage gives two alternative dates for the celebration, one from Shammai and one from Hillel. Hillel's date (15 Shevat) is the one celebrated at present. The Hebrew phrase Tu B'Shevat means "the 15th of Shevat."

The first link above gives last year's date range for the holiday on the top right. Hopefully, this will be corrected by the time you see it.

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Strickler, Early Byzantine Apocalyptic Discourses (Brill)

NEW BOOK FROM BRILL:

Early Byzantine Apocalyptic Discourses

Coping with Crises in the Sixth and Seventh Centuries

Series:
Brill's Series on the Early Middle Ages, Volume: 32

Author: Ryan W. Strickler

The Byzantine Empire faced many threats, but few were as great as the events of the sixth and seventh centuries, when paranoia, plagues, and wars threatened to tear the empire apart. Like today, prophets predicted horrors to come while preachers called on their congregations to repent. This book considers how the Byzantines understood the crises of the period and their role in divine history by reframing their troubles through an apocalyptic lens. While most scholars have interpreted these messages as a prediction of the end, this book argues for a different reading, understanding them instead as messages of hope.

Copyright Year: 2026

E-Book (PDF)
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-74588-9
Publication: 27 Oct 2025
EUR €110.00

Hardback
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-74585-8
Publication: 06 Nov 2025
EUR €110.00

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Lo Sardo, P Conclusion and Post-P Rearrangements in Exodus 25-31 and Leviticus 8-9 (Mohr Siebeck)

NEW BOOK FROM MOHR SIEBECK:

Domenico Lo Sardo

P Conclusion and Post-P Rearrangements in Exodus 25-31 and Leviticus 8-9
A Textual and Literary Criticism Study on the Pentateuch Formation

2026. 371 pages.
Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2. Reihe (FAT II) 166

€109.00
including VAT

sewn paper
available
978-3-16-164684-3

Also Available As:
eBook PDF
€109.00

Summary

In this study, Domenico Lo Sardo examines the textual and literary development of Exodus 25-31 and Leviticus 8-9, expanding on prior research on the Tabernacle's second account (Exodus 35-40). He argues that Exodus 25-31 was later composed to legitimize the Temple's construction and was shaped alongside Leviticus 8. Challenging the idea of an early, fully developed Priestly Writing (Pg), his analysis of the texts studied in terms of textual and literary criticism presents it as an evolving tradition with a multistage production history. He further demonstrates that Priestly Writing (P) concludes at Leviticus 8 and does not extend beyond this point. Highlighting themes of divine presence, worship, and sacred space, the author ultimately situates the Temple-cult project within the broader theological framework of creation and covenant fulfillment.

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Online course: GEORGIAN JEWS AND THEIR CULTURAL TREASURES

LIFELONG LEARNING: Georgian Jews and Their Cultural Treasures (Dr. Thea Gomelauri, Times of Israel Blogs).

The [six-week] course [at the Siegal Lifelong Program at Case Western Reserve University] covers the Georgian Jewish history from the sixth century BCE, when fleeing the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, they arrived in Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia) to the modern era. The program will focus on the Georgian Jewish material culture, archaeological treasures, and literary corpus of Georgian Jewry, including extant Armazic Aramaic inscriptions, bilingual stelae, golden amulets, the Bret Bibles, the Lailashi Codex, and the Chianurashvili Tehillim (Psalter).

For more on Dr. Gomelauri's work on the Lailashi Codex, see here and here. And for an important Georgian/Aramaic palimpsest, the Codex Sinaiticus Rescriptus, see here and links.

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Real and fake Greco-Roman-era coins seized in East Jerusalem

APPREHENDED NUMISMATICS: Ancient Coins Linked to Alexander the Great’s Hellenistic World Seized in Israel (Nisha Zahid, Greek Reporter).

Inspectors in Israel have seized hundreds of ancient and forged coins hidden inside a balcony planter at a private home in East Jerusalem, authorities said this week.

The raid uncovered about 450 coins, including authentic ancient pieces and modern counterfeits. Authorities carried out the operation at the home of a resident suspected of involvement in the unlawful possession and trafficking of antiquities.

Coins span the Hasmonean, Herodian, and Roman periods

Experts examining the seized items said the cache included Hasmonean, Herodian, and Roman-era coins, spanning several centuries of ancient history in the region. Some of the coins were confirmed to be authentic antiquities, while others were identified as forgeries.

[...]

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Nebuchadnezzar II - restorer or destroyer?

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: Babylonian Texts Complicate Bible’s Image of Nebuchadnezzar. Was he both destroyer and restorer? (Lauren K. McCormick).

Allowing this new archaeological evidence to complicate Nebuchadnezzar’s character invites us to move beyond the idea of history as a straightforward moral tale, toward a more nuanced understanding of how power, memory, and identity are shaped by competing narratives. The biblical authors, writing in the aftermath of exile, understandably portray Nebuchadnezzar as a destroyer because he literally did destroy their temple. Babylonian inscriptions, on the other hand, depict the same ruler as a restorer of temples—a deeply pious and reverential figure. ...

For more on King Nebuchadnezzar, including on the Nebuchadnezzar Cylinder(s) and other cuneiform material, see here and links.

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Review of Belief and unbelief in the ancient world

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Belief and unbelief in the ancient world.

Taylor O. Gray, Ethan R. Johnson, Martina Vercesi, Belief and unbelief in the ancient world. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2025. Pp. 288. ISBN 9780802878977.

Review by
Justin M. Rogers, Freed-Hardeman University. jrogers@fhu.edu

The current volume represents the proceedings of a conference hosted by the University of St. Andrews in 2021 entitled, “Aspects of Belief in Ancient West Asia and the Mediterranean Basin: 1000 BCE–100 CE.” ...

I noted (as upcoming) the conference at my home institution here (but I was unable to attend) and the publication of the book here.

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Review of Schmidt, Josephus and Jesus

BOOK REVIEW: Rethinking Josephus and His Claims about Jesus. New book affirms Christ from a non-believing Jewish scholar’s own words (John Stonestreet and Timothy D Padgett, Breakpoint).

AI may have helped solve an ancient puzzle. For his new book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ, Dr. T. C. Schmidt used AI to test something long in dispute: what the first century historian actually said.

[...]

I noted the publication of the book, with some thoughts of my own, here.

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Review of McGrath, The Quest for John the Baptist

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: The Quest for John the Baptist. New book examines the historical and biblical evidence (Zeba Crook).

John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer
By James F. McGrath
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2024), 486 pp., $59.99 (hardcover and eBook)

Reviewed by Zeba Crook

In a style that is easy to read, James F. McGrath has undertaken this study into the historical John the Baptist in the true spirit of scientific inquiry: It is daring, creative, and exploratory. As with all novel scientific experiments, however, value is not always measured in terms of success but rather learning, for one can learn as much from a failed experiment as from a successful one.

[...]

That's a bit ouchy.

I noted the publication of the book here.

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Still more on those 3rd-millennium alphabetic (?) inscriptions

NORTHWEST SEMITIC (?) EPIGRAPHY: Is this the world's oldest alphabet? While excavating clay cylinders in Syria, archaeologists discovered a rare find: an early writing system. The script has given scholars the new challenge of reinvestigating the timeline of alphabetic symbols (Anna Thorpe, National Geographic).

The discovery at Umm el-Marra now suggests that alphabetical writing may have not only emerged 500 years earlier than the Sinai script but also done so in a different location.

“Paradigm-shifting discoveries gain acceptance gradually, not rapidly,” [epigrapher Christopher] Rollston said. He is confident that if more inscriptions are found, preferably longer texts, a solid consensus on the new script will develop.

See here and links for earlier coverage. This article has a good account, perhaps more confident than earlier ones. There seems to be agreement that the markings are writing. Whether they are alphabetic writing seems less certain. I hope they find more samples.

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Thousands of antiquities missing in Gaza

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR AFTERMATH: Allegations of antiquities theft in Gaza: 17,000 artefacts missing ( Sophie Constantin, Jordan Times). HT Rogue Classicism.

AMMAN – More than 17,000 archaeological artefacts have disappeared from museums and heritage sites in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s cultural authorities and international human rights organisations, raising serious concerns about looting and the unlawful removal of cultural property during Israel’s war on Gaza. ...

Israel has not specifically addressed allegations of antiquities theft, and UNESCO has not yet announced an investigation into the fate of the missing artefacts. Euro-Med Monitor has called on the organisation to send an investigation committee to Gaza to examine damaged heritage sites and determine the fate of thousands of artefacts reported missing.

For more on the Saint Hilarion Monastery, see here and links.

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"Passover" in Latin

LOANWORD ADAPTATION: How do we decline the Latin word “pascha”? (Roger Pearse).

Short answer:

The answer seems to be that “pascha” is actually a Greek word, and basically indeclinable, and therefore weird stuff can happen.

For the long answer, follow the link. For hardcore philologists.

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A Carthaginian elephant bone at Cordoba? Plus C-14 dating reflections.

PUNIC WATCH: Remains of a war elephant and catapult ammunition from the Second Punic War found in Córdoba, a unique discovery in Europe (Guillermo Carvajal, LBV).

An international team of archaeologists and paleontologists has announced the discovery of physical evidence unique in Europe: an elephant bone dated to the Second Punic War (218–201 BC). The find, a small but revealing bone fragment, was made during an emergency excavation at the Colina de los Quemados site in Córdoba (Spain), identified with the ancient Iberian city of Corduba.

[...]

The artifacts in the same stratum confirm the likelihood that the elephant was one of those used by the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War.

On an unrelated note, this is perhaps of interest:

Given the exceptional nature of the find, an attempt was made to obtain an absolute date through radiocarbon analysis. Although the collagen in the bone had not been sufficiently preserved, scientists dated the mineral fraction (bioapatite). The result placed the sample between the late 4th century and the 3rd century BC, a range that, although slightly broader and earlier than expected, is consistent with the period of the Second Punic War.

Compare this range with the new C-14 dating range for 4QDan^c of 230-160 BCE, with a composition date for the Book of Daniel of c. 165. The fighting in Spain in the Second Punic War occurred between 219 BCE (the siege of Saguntum) and 206 BCE (the Battle of Ilipa), so the early end of the C14 date range is about a century too early. The early end of the new C-14 date range for 4QDan^c is only about 60-70 years too early.

So it is fair to say that this dating has "a range that, although slightly broader and earlier than expected, is consistent with the period of the" composition of Daniel. If we accept this range as pretty firm (2-sigma = 95%), 4QDan^c is quite an early copy of Daniel. But the book easily could have been circulating widely in Palestine within a few years or less of its composition.

More on the redating of 4QDan^c, and the associated Enoch AI dating tool, is here and links.

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Review of Zarghamee, Myth and history in ancient Persia

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Myth and history in ancient Persia: the Achaemenids in the Iranian tradition.

Reza Shaghaghi Zarghamee, Myth and history in ancient Persia: the Achaemenids in the Iranian tradition. Edinburgh studies in ancient Persia. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2025. Pp. 376. ISBN 9781399530989.

Review by
Rhyne King, University of Toronto. rhyne.king@utoronto.ca

This ambitious book aims to bring the field of Achaemenid history into conversation with Zoroastrian studies and the study of early Islamic literature. As Reza Shaghaghi Zarghamee notes, Achaemenid historians have rarely engaged with sources in Avestan, Middle Persian (also known as “Pahlavi”), and New Persian, and the author seeks to rectify that. ...

I noted the publication of the book here.

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Another blogger visits Cartagena

PUNIC WATCH: Toerist in Cartagena (Mainzer Beobachter Blog).

Jona Lendering has visited Cartagena, Spain, too, and he has posted a report here in Dutch. Google Translate can easily produce an English version if you want one.

Jona has photos and commentary that nicely complement my posts on my own recent visit to Cartagena.

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