Honoring the Emperor in Northern Israel: The Omrit Temple Excavations and the Imperial Temple at Caesarea Philippi

Speaker: Dr. Dan Schowalter

The Jewish historian Josephus mentions three temples built by Herod the Great and dedicated to Roma and Augustus. The remains of the temples at Caesarea Maritima and Samaria Sebaste have long been known, but the discovery of a three-phase temple site at Omrit in northern Israel has created a debate about the location of the third temple. This discussion is a case-study for the difficulty of integrating material remains with textual evidence (both Josephus and the New Testament). It also raises questions about the political significance of holy places in both the ancient and modern world.

Dan Schowalter is professor in the departments of Religion and Classics at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His academic interests include archaeology, the development of the New Testament, honors offered to the Roman Emperors, and the modern dialogue between science and religion. He serves on the steering committee for the “Archaeology and Religion in the Greco-Roman World” section for the Society of Biblical Literature, and is Associate Director of the Macalester College/Carthage College excavations at Omrit in northern Israel. He serves on the Editorial Board for Oxford Biblical Studies Online and the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible. He is a contributor to The Cities of Paul: Images and Interpretations from the Harvard New Testament Archaeology Project, a DVD released by Fortress Press. Along with Steve Friesen, he is coeditor of Urban Religion in Roman Corinth: Interdisciplinary Approaches, from Harvard University Press. Professor Schowalter was the 2008 featured lecturer for the University of Missouri Ancient Studies Committee, and is a seminar leader for the Faculty Seminar in Archaeology and Ancient Material Culture at the Crisler Library in Ephesos, Turkey. He leads study tours for students and adults throughout the Mediterranean world.

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Comment

Comment by Joan Lansberry on January 8, 2009 at 7:50pm

I won't be attending this, but the other member of my household (who is very much into Greco-Roman history) will be attending.

Comment by Jayni Reinhard on December 5, 2008 at 3:07pm

Check out the Omrit "promo" video under our video links here on the site! Dr. Schowalter's son made it after this summer's excavation season.