The Ancient Near Eastern World
Jul 7
Judah’s Pledge to Tamar
By: Megan Sauter
Genesis 38 recounts the saga of Judah and Tamar. Er, Judah’s oldest son, marries Tamar, but he dies, leaving her a childless widow. Er’s brother […]
Jun 16
Herod the Great: Friend of the Romans and Parthians?
By: Jason M. Schlude
Jason M. Schlude explores how King Herod manipulated his position between two regional powers.
Jun 12
Did the Euphrates Originally Empty into the Mediterranean?
The Euphrates River was one of the great arteries of the ancient Near East. Flowing from modern-day Turkey through Syria and Iraq before joining the […]
Jun 7
Who Were the Hittites?
By: Ellen White
Archaeology tells us a lot about the Hittites—and the Neo-Hittites too. But it’s hard to reconcile this with the Hittites of the Bible.
Jun 2
Who Were the Phoenicians?
By: Megan Sauter
With a commercial empire that lasted a millennium, the Phoenicians were major players in the ancient Mediterranean world. Spreading their culture and goods, they came into contact with many different groups, but their relationship with the Israelites was distinct.
Jun 1
Moza Rewrites History, Again
A new study from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site of Moza, just west of Jerusalem, argues that the site’s prehistoric residents mastered a sophisticated plaster […]
May 30
Who Were the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites in the Bible?
By: Megan Sauter
During the Iron Age, when Israel and Judah ruled Canaan, the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom ruled east of the Jordan River. Recent archaeological discoveries vastly increase our understanding of these kingdoms and their religion.
May 29
From Noah’s Dove to the Holy Spirit
Hot take: Pigeons are the most berated animal of all time. Our ancestors domesticated these rock-dwelling birds, for example using them as messengers and food. […]
May 28
The Phoenician Alphabet in Archaeology
By: Josephine Quinn
The Phoenician script was borrowed by the Israelites, Greeks and Romans. Learn what sorts of texts the Phoenicians wrote as revealed by a recent archaeological excavation.
May 28
10 Things to Know About the Assyrian Empire
By: Robin Ngo
The Assyrians referenced in the Hebrew Bible were a mighty force that exerted power over much of the Near East, including Israel and Judah, in the ninth through seventh centuries B.C.E.
