Syllabus
Topic I: The rich and famous: • “It is good to be the King”: Herod the Great and the commerce • “A piece of paradise”: Horticulture of King Herod the Great • Topic II: Daily Life: • “Land of Milk and Honey” (Agricultural technology I) • “Food for thought”: Grain, wheat bread and olive oil (Agricultural technology II) • “Real life and supernatural powers - no limits?” - protective and harmful magic in the provinces • Topic III: Archaeology of Crisis: • The First Jewish Revolt • The Second Jewish Revolt • The archaeology of refugees • Romans and Roman-ness on the Middle Danube Limes • Special topics: “There is something new under the Sun” - New finds from Masada • Arms and armor as evidence of the Roman presence in the non-Roman territory. Schedule: The course will be taught every Monday from 17:15-18:45 online via Zoom (the link will be provided by the teacher to those enrolled in the course), from 13 March to 15 May 2023.• In the week from 1 to 5 May, lectures will be held in classroom A21: on Wednesday from 12 to 15:40, on Thursday from 10 to 11:40 + an extra lecture (non-compulsory) on Tuesday from 16 to 17:40.
Annotation
The course will introduce the students to the life in the border regions of the Roman Empire, on both sides of the Empire's limits (limes Romanus). It will especially present the latest discoveries in eastern Roman provinces that reveal important details on Roman military activity as well as on economic and religious aspects of the life in Roman provinces.
Lecturers: Dr. Guy Stiebel (Tel Aviv), Martijn A. Wijnhoven, Ph.D. (Amsterdam)