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Episodes
- S1 E1 - The Land of CanaanNovember 11, 201031minWhat 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 introduction, and take a peek at the region's earliest recorded inhabitants, the Canaanites.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E2 - The Arrival of the IsraelitesMay 31, 202033minExplore 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E3 - Jerusalem: An Introduction to the CityMay 31, 202029minHere, 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).Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E4 - The Jerusalem of David and SolomonMay 31, 202033minIn this first look at 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E5 - Biblical Jerusalem's Ancient Water SystemsMay 31, 202031minContinue 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E6 - Samaria and the Northern Kingdom of IsraelMay 31, 202028minTurn 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).Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E7 - Fortifications and Cult PracticesMay 31, 202032minDelve 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E8 - Babylonian Exile and the Persian RestorationMay 31, 202032minIn 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E9 - Alexander the Great and His SuccessorsMay 31, 202028minAlexander 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E10 - The Hellenization of PalestineMay 31, 202030minContinue 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).Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E11 - The Maccabean RevoltMay 31, 202031minTurn 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E12 - The Hasmonean KingdomMay 31, 202032minIn 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).Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E13 - Pharisees and SadduceesMay 31, 202032minBy 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?Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E14 - Discovery and Site of the Dead Sea ScrollsMay 31, 202030minTravel 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E15 - The Sectarian Settlement at QumranMay 31, 202031minContinue 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E16 - The Dead Sea Scrolls and the EssenesMay 31, 202032minScholars 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?Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E17 - The Life of the EssenesMay 31, 202029minIn this final look at 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E18 - From Roman Annexation to Herod the GreatMay 31, 202031minWitness 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E19 - Herod as Builder: Jerusalem's Temple MountMay 31, 202032minIn the first of several studies of 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E20 - Caesarea Maritima: Harbor and Showcase CityMay 31, 202030minDuring 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E21 - From Herod's Last Years to Pontius PilateMay 31, 202031minVisit 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).Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E22 - Galilee: Setting of Jesus's Life and MinistryMay 31, 202032minTour 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E23 - Synagogues in the Time of JesusMay 31, 202033minWhat 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E24 - Sites of the Trial and Final Hours of JesusMay 31, 202033minExplore 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E25 - Early Jewish Tombs in JerusalemMay 31, 202030minChart 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.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
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