Magazine Highlights

Biblical Archaeology Review, Fall 2025

The Fall 2025 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review unearths new insights into the religious world of the Bible. In “At the Temple Gates,” explore Jerusalem pilgrimage during the Second Temple period and what the Ophel excavations reveal about the ritual practices of early Jews. In “Where Was the First Council of Nicea?” discover the ancient church where early Christian leaders held their first deliberations on the nature of Jesus’s divinity. And in “Samarian Scribes in King Hezekiah’s Court,” meet the refugees who fled south to escape the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the critical role they played in preserving much of the Hebrew Bible.

In Strata and Epistles, venture into an ancient Judahite tomb to feast with the dead. Examine how the biblical writers made sense of the Babylonian destruction. Take a second look at the Book of Exodus to learn how the Israelites may not have fully preserved Abraham’s religion. Also, revisit the Letter of James to consider the Roman background of its moral indictment against partiality.

In “Arch-Tech,” explore the waters off the coast of Israel to learn how the latest technologies are revolutionizing marine archaeology. “Classical Corner” steps into the dark corners of ancient Corinth to experience the realities of incarcerated life in a Roman prison. In “Text Treasures,” browse an Assyrian state archive that sheds light on key biblical events. Finally, this issue continues to celebrate BAR’s 50th anniversary in “Forging Ahead,” highlighting the many ways biblical archaeology has expanded to answer new questions and meet fresh challenges.

Visit us online at Bible History Daily to see the latest news in biblical archaeology or to delve into additional articles, eBooks, and videos about key Bible and archaeology topics. And in the Fall issue’s Web Exclusive, travel to Jerusalem’s Tomb of the Kings to uncover new evidence that this famous funerary monument may have served the ritual needs of first-century Jewish pilgrims as they approached the holy city.

All-Access Members can explore the BAS Library, which features every article ever published in Biblical Archaeology Review, Bible Review, and Archaeology Odyssey, as well as Special Collections of articles curated by BAR editors.

Features

Where Was the First Council of Nicea?

Mark R. Fairchild
The Nicene Creed, which defines the Christian faith, was adopted at the church’s first ecumenical council in 325 CE. This meeting took place in Nicea—modern İznik in Turkey—but the exact location of the proceedings has never been found. Explore how archaeology may finally reveal where the highest church representatives met 1,700 years ago to settle the faith’s early theological disputes.

At the Temple Gates: The Archaeology of Jerusalem Pilgrimage

Uzi Leibner and Orit Peleg-Barkat
Thousands of pilgrims traversed the Ophel on their way up to the Jerusalem Temple. Located between the City of David to its south and the Temple complex, this area was the primary gateway to the Temple. Explore what archaeology reveals about Jerusalem pilgrimage during the last two centuries of the Second Temple period, from the Hasmoneans up to Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 CE.

Samarian Scribes in King Hezekiah’s Court

William M. Schniedewind
In the late eighth century BCE, a series of Assyrian military campaigns devastated the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Large numbers of refugees fled south to Judah, including royal scribes who escaped with stories and traditions from the north that would later be recorded in the Hebrew Bible. Trace the evidence of these northern refugees and the critical role they may have played in Jerusalem’s royal court.

Forging Ahead: Biblical Archaeology’s Expanding Frontier

Erin Darby
Biblical archaeology has come a long way in the past century. Emerging trends are reshaping how scholars think about and conduct archaeology in the biblical world. Learn how archaeologists today still grapple with the complexities of the past but also practice a more responsible archaeology that engages with a broader range of questions, geographies, and communities.

Departments

Strata

Mysterious Negev Tombs
How Many?
Capital Conundrum
Where Is It?
Ramesses III Found in Jordan
Myth and Marble
Pompeii’s Power Couple
Arch-Tech: Advancing Marine Archaeology
Then and Now: Mile Markers
Milestone: Kenneth A. Kitchen (1932–2025)
Milestone: Nancy Lapp (1930–2025)
Classical Corner: Crime and Punishment in Roman Corinth
Prize Find: A Royal Likeness?
Ancient Judah’s Grateful Dead
Book Review: Jerusalem Through the Ages
World Wonders: Tell Halaf Reliefs

Epistles

The Fall of Jerusalem: Who Was to Blame?
Ancient Courts and the Letter of James
What’s in a Name?: Tiglath-Pileser
Losing Abraham’s Religion: More on Israelite Religion in Egypt
Text Treasures: Nimrud Letters: The Royal Archives of Assyria
A Thousand Words: Joshua’s Conquest

Plus

Digging In
Queries & Comments
Authors
Caption Contest

Web Exclusive

Pit Stop