2021/05/27 by Dvir Raviv, Chaim Ben David · 4 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Archaeology and Historical Studies #Biblical Studies and Interpretation #Historical and Linguistic Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s1047759421000271
openalex publication_date 2021/05/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract Scholars have long doubted the historical accuracy of Cassius Dio's account of the consequences of the Bar Kokhba War ( Roman History 69.14). According to this text, considered the most reliable literary source for the Second Jewish Revolt, the war encompassed all of Judea: the Romans destroyed 985 villages and 50 fortresses, and killed 580,000 rebels. This article reassesses Cassius Dio's figures by drawing on new evidence from excavations and surveys in Judea, Transjordan, and the Galilee. Three research methods are combined: an ethno-archaeological comparison with the settlement picture in the Ottoman Period, comparison with similar settlement studies in the Galilee, and an evaluation of settled sites from the Middle Roman Period (70–136 CE). The study demonstrates the potential contribution of the archaeological record to this issue and supports the view of Cassius Dio's demographic data as a reliable account, which he based on contemporaneous documentation.