Settlement & History in Hellenistic, Roman, & Byzantine Galilee

During the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, the Galilee played an important role in the development of both Judaism and Christianity. In an attempt to draw a detailed picture of the nature and history of the rural settlement in this region, a test case area in the "heart" of ancient Galilee is presented. Uzi Leibner used two distinct disciplines: the study of historical sources and advanced archaeological field survey. Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Aramaic sources concerning settlements in the region are translated and discussed and some 50 sites surveyed archaeologically. The analysis and synthesis of the finds facilitated the presentation of a comprehensive and dynamic picture of settlement - including periods of construction, abandonment, prosperity and decline in each site and in the region as a whole. Uzi Leibner sheds new light on major historical issues such as the origins of the Galilean Jewry in the Second Temple Period, the First Jewish Revolt and its outcomes, demography, economy, and interaction between Jewish, pagan and Christian communities.