“And He Built Cities in the Hill Country of Judah, and in the Forests He Built Fortresses and Towers” (2 Chronicles 27:4)
New Developments in the Study of the Army and Security of the Kingdom of Judah in the First Temple Period
Dr. Sa’ar Ganor, Hebrew University
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 At 19:00 | Hebrew
Included with Museum Admission
Over the years, archaeological research of the Iron Age in the Land of Israel has focused mainly on excavating sites where settlements and major cities once stood. Few excavations have been conducted on individual structures within the Kingdom of Judah in general, and on towers, fortresses, and citadels in particular. Studies in military archaeology written in the early years of the State of Israel largely reflect an interpretive approach to “biblical archaeology” that was common at the time, harnessed to the national needs of the young state. Since then, archaeological research has of course come a long way, but topics dealing with security and the military have barely been studied.
This lecture will present up-to-date archaeological research, including findings from recent excavations and interpretation that sheds new light on military and security aspects of the Kingdom of Judah in the First Temple period. Topics will include, in depth, the organization, composition, and units of Judah’s army; its administrative and logistical apparatus; the kingdom’s economic and military interests; and the question of whether a distinct concept of internal versus external security — in routine and in emergency — existed in the Kingdom of Judah during the eighth through sixth centuries BCE.
The Lost Location of the Camp of the Tenth Legion “Fretensis” in Jerusalem: A New Solution to an Old Question?
Dr. Ran Ortner
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 At 19:00 | Hebrew
The “Roman Peace” in the province of Judea was purchased through the extensive use of force by Rome’s imperial legionary army.
After the suppression of the Great Jewish Revolt, the Romans maintained that same “Roman Peace” by stationing the Tenth Legion in the Jewish capital, Jerusalem.
The question arises: how did this legion function in maintaining Roman peace in Judea, and specifically, where in Jerusalem was it encamped?
