Jerusalem: Portrait of the City in the Second Temple Period

by Lee I. Levine

Publisher:

Jewish Publication Society

, 2002

Overview

Jerusalem in the Second Temple period experienced dramatic growth as it achieved unprecedented political, religious, and spiritual prominence. Lee Levine traces the development of Jerusalem during this time—through its urban, demographic, topographical, and archeological features, its political regimes, public institutions, and its cultural and religious life.

International recognition as a temple-city accorded Jerusalem a distinguished position in Jewish and non-Jewish eyes alike. It was the seat of all major national institutions and the home of important priestly and aristocratic families, as well as of various religious sects. Much of Judaism's dynamic development during this 600-year period took place in this city.

With the Logos Bible Software edition, you have unprecedented access to the most important scholarly material on the history and culture of the Second Temple period. The powerful search tools in your digital library help you locate specific material relevant to your study, including maps, photographs, dictionaries, and more. All references to the Bible are directly linked to the Hebrew and Greek texts in your library, along with your preferred English translations. These advanced tools make the Logos edition of Jerusalem: Portrait of the City in the Second Temple Period an important addition to your digital library if you are a scholar, pastor, or students of the Second Temple period.

Key Features

• Provides extensive notes on the subject matter
• Brimming with maps and photographs
• Includes a glossary, bibliography, and subject index

Contents

• Part 1: From Cyrus to the Hasmoneans
  • The Persian Era (539–332 BCE)
  • The Hellenistic Era (332–141 BCE)
  • The Hasmoneon Era (141–63 BCE)
• Part 2: Herodian Jerusalem
  • The Historical Dimension
  • The Urban Landscape
  • The Temple and Temple Mount
  • Jerusalem in the Greco-Roman Orbit: The Extent and Limitations of Cultural Fusion
• Part 3: The First Century CE
  • The Historical Dimension
  • The Urban Configuration
  • Social Stratification
  • Religious Ambience
  • The Destruction of Jerusalem (66–70 CE)

Top Highlights

“this was the most Jewish of cities and, at the same time, the most cosmopolitan of Jewish cities.” (Page xiv)

“at the beginning of Tishri, and the altar was used for the Sukkot festival celebrations several weeks later” (Page 13)

Praise for the Print Edition

Lee Levine has written a magnificent overview of the history and institutions of Second Temple Jerusalem. He weaves together the evidence of ancient texts and recently uncovered archeological remains to produce a highly readable and responsible account of the rise and demise of ancient Jerusalem in all its glory and tragedy.

—Steven D. Fraade, Mark Taper Professor of the History of Judaism, Yale University

This is a book that scholar, student, and interested layperson can read with both profit and enjoyment. Levine . . . [explores] both the literature and the minutest details of the archeology in this dazzling display of erudition, breadth of scope, and clarity of expression. After reading this book, you will know Jerusalem of the Second Temple period better than the city where you live.

—Hershel Shanks, Editor, Biblical Archeology Review and Bible Review

Hard on the heels of his magisterial The Ancient Synagogue, Lee Levine has brought to fruition his intense familiarity with Jerusalem against the broad background of the history, society, and culture of the Second Temple period. He takes full advantage of archaeological investigations, integrating them into his evocative recreation of the life of one of the great cities of the Near East.

—Peter Richardson, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto

Product Details

• Title: Jerusalem: Portrait of the City in the Second Temple Period
• Author: Lee I. Levine
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: xviii, 486

About Lee I. Levine

Lee I. Levine, PhD is on the faculty of the Department of History at the Institute of Archeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of numerous books on Jewish history, including Judaism and Hellenism in Antiquity and The Ancient Synagogue, and has published more than 150 articles and book reviews. From 1997 through 2001, he served as the head of the Dinur Research Center for the Study of Jewish History. Professor Levine is the recipient of over a dozen awards, was a research fellow at Harvard University, and has taught at both Yale University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.