Nysa-Scythopolis: The Hellenistic Polis
Keywords:
Nysa-Scythopolis, Tel Bet She’an, Tel Iẓtabba, Coele SyriaAbstract
For ninety-five years excavations have been going on at the site of Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis. From 1921 to 1923 the expedition of the Pennsylvania University Museum, Philadelphia worked at Tel Bet She’an. From 1991 to 1994 and 2005 to 2010 the expeditions of the Bet She’an Archaeological Project and the Israel Antiquities Authority were active at Tel Bet She’an and Tel Iẓtabba, sites located on both banks of Nahal Ḥarod (fig. 1). The excavations revealed the construction of a military stronghold and an administrative centre of the mid-3rd century BCE on Tel Bet She’an and the foundation of a polis on Tel Iẓtabba around 170 BCE until the destruction of Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis by the Hasmoneans in 108 / 107 BCE. Numerous scholars published their research on the material culture and ancient sources, highlighting the history and cultural identity of Nysa-Scythopolis, a Greek city of Coele Syria. This article summarizes the basic data of those researches and reviews the archaeological and historical evidence.
References
F. M. Abel, Histoire de la Palestine (Paris 1952)
N. Amiti-Preiss, The Coins, in: A. Mazar, Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989–1996 I. From the Late Bronze Age IIB to the Medieval Period (Jerusalem 2006) 607–615
S. Applebaum, Hellenistic Cities of Judaea and its Vicinity – Some New Aspects, in: B. Levick (ed.), The Ancient Historian and his Materials. Essays in Honour of C. E. Stevens on his Seventieth Birthday (Westmead England 1975) 59–73
S. Applebaum, When Scythopolis Became a Greek City, in: Researches in the History of the People of Israel and Eretz-Israel (Haifa 1980) 63–69 (Hebrew)
S. Applebaum, Judaea in Hellenistic and Roman Times. Historical and Archaeological Essays. Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity 40 (Leiden 1989)
D. T. Ariel, Stamped Amphora Handles from Bet-She‘an. Evidence for Urban Development of the City in the Hellenistic Period, in: J. Lund – J. Eiring (eds.), Transport Amphorae and Trade in the Eastern Mediterranean, Acts of the International Colloquium at the Danish Institute at Athens, September 26–29, 2002, Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens 5 (Aarhus 2004) 23–30
D. T. Ariel, The Stamped Amphora Handles, in: A. Mazar, Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989–1996 I. From the Late Bronze Age IIB to the Medieval Period (Jerusalem 2006) 594–606
W. Atrash, Bet She’an. Tel Iẓtabba. ExcIsr 128
http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=25117 &mag_id=124 (Accessed December 24, 2016)
M. Avi-Yonah, Mosaic Pavement at El Hammam, Beisan, QDAP 5, 1935, 11–30
M. Avi-Yonah, Scythopolis, IEJ 12, 1962, 123–134
M. Avi-Yonah, The Holy Land from the Persian to the Arab Conquests (536 B.C. to A.D. 640). A Historical Geography, (Grand Rapids 1966)
P. Bar-Adon, Notes and News, IEJ 3, 1953, 132
P. Bar-Adon, Notes and News, IEJ 5, 1955, 273
J. Baramki, Coin Hoards from Palestine II, QDAP 11, 1944, 86–90
R. Barkay, The Coinage of Nysa-Scythopolis (Beth-Shean),(Jerusalem 2003)
J. Beloch, Die auswärtigen Besitzungen der Ptolemäer, ArchPF 2, 1903, 229–256
H. Bengtson, Griechische Geschichte (Munich 1969)
J. M. Bertrand, Sur l‘inscription d‘Hefzibah, ZPE 46, 1982, 167–174
E. J. Bickerman, La Coelé-Syrie. Notes de géographie historique, RB 54, 1947, 256–268
M. Bieber, Alexander the Great in Greek and Roman Art (Chicago 1964)
E. Bikerman, Institutions des Séleucides (Paris 1938)
G. Bowersock, Roman Arabia (Cambridge, MA 1983)
H. Comfort – F. O. Waagé, Selected Pottery from Beth Shan (Roman Date), PEFQS 1936, 221–224
J. W. Crowfoot – K. M. Kenyon – E. L. Sukenik, The Buildings at Samaria (London 1942)
L. Di Segni, A Dated Inscription from Beth Shean and the Cult of Dionysos Ktistes in Roman Scythopolis, ScrClIsr 16, 1977, 139–161
C. C. Edgar, Zenon Papyri in the University of Michigan Collection (Ann Arbor 1931)
A. Erlich, The Art of Hellenistic Palestine, BARIntSer 2010,(Oxford 2009)
G. Finkielsztejn, The Amphora Stamps from Tel Iztabba, in: G. Mazor – W. Atrash – G. Finkielsztejn, Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis. The Amphora Stamps and Sealings, Bet She’an 4, IAA Report 62 (Jerusalem 2017) 15–167
M. L. Fischer, Das korinthische Kapitell im Alten Israel in der hellenistischen und römischen Periode. Studien zur Geschichte der Baudekoration im Nahen Osten (Mainz 1990)
M. L. Fischer, Marble Studies. Roman Palestine and the Marble Trade, Xenia 40 (Constance 1998)
T. Fischer, Zur Seleukideninschrift von Hefzibah, ZPE 33, 1979, 131–138
G. M. FitzGerald, Beth Shean Excavations 1921–1923. The Arab and Byzantine Levels, Publications of the Palestine Section of the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania 3 (Philadelphia 1931)
G. Foerster – Y. Tsafrir, Nysa Scythopolis – A New Inscription and the Titles of the City on its Coins, IsrNumJ 9, 1986–1987, 53–58
G. Fuks, Scythopolis. A Greek City in Eretz Israel (Jerusalem 1983)(Hebrew)
P. L. Gatier, Nouvelles Archéologiques, Décapole et Coelé-Syrie: deux inscriptions nouvelles, Syria 67, 1990, 204–206
H. Illiffe, Greek and Latin Inscriptions in the Museum, QDAP 2, 1933, 120–126
B. Isaac – I. Roll, Roman Roads in Judaea I. The Legio-Scythopolis Road, BARIntSer 141 (Oxford 1982)
B. L. Johnson, Clay, Stone and Metal Objects from the Hellenistic to the Early Islamic Period, in: A. Mazar, Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989–1996 I. From the Late Bronze Age IIB to the Medieval Period (Jerusalem 2006) 654–665
A. H. M. Jones, Inscriptions from Jerash, JRS 18, 1928, 144–178
A. H. M. Jones, The Greek City from Alexander to Justinian (Oxford 1940)
A. H. M. Jones, The Cities of the Eastern Roman Provinces (Oxford 1971)
B. Killerich, Public Images of Alexander the Great, in: J. Karlsen (ed.), Alexander the Great. Reality and Myth, International Conference, Rome 27–29 January 1992 (Rome 1993) 85–92
Y. H. Landau, A Greek Inscription Found Near Hefzibah, IEJ 16, 1966, 54–70
Y. H. Landau – V. Tzaferis, Tel Istabah, Beth Shean. The Excavations and Hellenistic Jar Handles, IEJ 29, 1979, 152–159
M. Launey, Recherches sur les armées hellénistiques I (Paris 1949)
A. Lichtenberger, City Foundations in the Decapolis, BAngloIsrASoc 22, 2004, 23–34
B. Lifshitz, Bleigewichte aus Palästina und Syrien, ZDPV 92, 1976, 168–187
B. Lifshitz, Scythopolis. L‘histoire, les institutions et les cultes de la ville à l‘époque hellénistique et impériale, ANRW II, 8, 1977, 262–294
B. Maisler – M. Stekelis – E. L. Sukenik, The Excavations at Beth Yerah (Khirbet el-Kerak) 1944–1946, IEJ 2, 1952, 165–173, 218–219
A. Mazar, Four Thousand Years of History at Tel Beth-Shean, Qadmoniot 27. 3–4 (107–108), 1994, 66–83 (Hebrew)
A. Mazar, Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989–1996 I. From the Late Bronze Age IIB to the Medieval Period (Jerusalem 2006)
G. Mazor – W. Atrash, Sealings, in: G. Mazor – W. Atrash –G. Finkielsztejn, Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis. The Amphora Stamps and Sealings, Bet She’an 4, IAA Report 62 (Jerusalem 2017) 168–250
R. Mouterde, Bibliographie, MelBeyrouth 17, 1933, 180–182
A. M. Nielsen, Portraits of Alexander in Dodecanese. Some questions, some answers?, in: S. Dietz – I. Papachristodoulou (eds.), Archaeology in the Dodecanese, Symposium, Copenhagen April 7th to 9th, 1986 (Copenhagen 1988) 218–224
B. Niese, Geschichte der griechischen und makedonischen Staaten II (Gotha 1899)
E. D. Oren, The Northern Cemetery of Beth-Shean (Leiden 1973)
J. J. Pollitt, Art in the Hellenistic Age (Cambridge 1986)
R. S. Poole, Catalogue of Greek Coins. The Ptolemies, Kings of Egypt (London 1883)
K. J. Rigsby, Seleucid Notes II. Nysa-Scythopolis, TransactAmPhilAss 110, 1980, 238–242
L. Robert, Bulletin épigraphique, REG 83, 1970, 469–473
M. I. Rostovtzeff, The Social and Economic History of the Hellenistic World I–III (Oxford 1941)
A. Rowe, The Topography and History of Beth Shean. With Details of the Egyptian and Other Inscriptions Found on the Site (Philadelphia 1930)
D. Sandhaus, The Pottery, in: G. Mazor – W. Atrash – D. Sandhaus. Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis. Stratigraphy and Finds, Bet She‘an 5, IAA Report (Jerusalem forthcoming)
E. Schürer, The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 B.C.–A.D. 135) I, revised and edited by G. Vermes and
F. Millar (Edinburgh 1973)
H. Seyrig, Alexandre le Grand, fondateur de Gérasa, Syria 42, 1965, 25–28
R. R. R. Smith, Hellenistic Royal Portraits (Oxford 1988)
R. R. R. Smith, Hellenistic Sculpture (London 1991)
A. Shapiro, Petrological Analysis of Sealings, in; G. Mazor –W. Atrash – G. Finkielsztejn, Hellenistic Nysa-Scythopolis. The Amphora Stamps and Sealings, Bet She’an 4, IAA Report 62 (Jerusalem 2017) 251–261
A. Spikerman, The Coins of the Decapolis and Provincia Arabia (Jerusalem 1978)
A. Stein, Studies in Greek and Latin Inscriptions on the Palestinian Coinage under the Principate, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Tel Aviv University (Tel Aviv)
E. Stern, The Material Culture of the Land of the Bible in the Persian Period (Jerusalem 1973) (Hebrew)
A. F. Stewart, Faces of Power. Alexander’s Image and Hellenistic Politics (Berkeley 1993)
E. L. Sukenik, The Ancient City of Philoteria (Beth Yerah), JPOS 2, 1922, 101–109
W. W. Tarn – G. T. Griffith, Hellenistic Civilization (London 1952)
V. Tcherikover, Jews and Greeks in the Hellenistic Period (Jerusalem 1973) (Hebrew)
H. Thiersch, Ein hellenistischer Kolossalkopf aus Besan, NGWG 1932, 52–76
N. Tzori, An Archaeological Survey of the Beth Shean Valley, in: The Beth Shean Valley, 17th Annual Archaeological Convention (Jerusalem 1962) 135–198 (Hebrew)
N. Tzori, A Contribution to the Problem of the Persian Period at Beth-Shan, PEQ 109, 1977, 103–105
C. C. Vermeule – K. Anderson, Greek and Roman Sculpture in the Holy Land, The Burlington Magazine 123 (934), 1981, 7–19
F. Vitto, Two Marble Heads of Goddesses from Tel Naharon-Scythopolis, ‘Atiqot 20, 1991, 33–45
C. B. Welles, The Inscriptions, in: C. H. Kraeling (ed.), Gerasa. City of the Decapolis (New Haven 1938) 355–496
R. Wenning, Hellenistische Skulpturen in Israel, Boreas 6, 1983, 105–118
E. Yannai, Bet She’an, Tel Iẓtabba, ExcIsr 126
http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=12652 &mag_id=121 (Accessed June 17, 2016)
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Journal of Hellenistic Pottery and Material Culture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
