Poppaea's house at Pompeii?

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: The Home of Nero’s Wife at Pompeii. Renewed excavations at the Villa of Poppaea (Nathan Steinmeyer).

Renewed excavations near Pompeii are revealing more of the incredible riches of a house believed to be the home of Emperor Nero’s second wife, Poppaea. In addition to newly excavated rooms, archaeologists have uncovered multiple stunning frescoes and other remarkable finds.

[...]

PaleoJudaica last saw Poppaea Sabina ascending to heaven on a chariot. Or at least that seems the most likely reading of a damaged third-century Oxyrhynchus papyrus that doesn't actually give her name.

I posted that story with an eye to a revisionist view of Nero. (For another Nero story that does not fit the narrative, see here.) But Poppaea's mythology aside, it seems that her likely second home, at Pompeii, is currently being excavated. If so, we now know quite a few personal details about her, including her tastes in decorating and gardening.

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Two more Barkay obituaries

TWO MORE MEMORIALS to the late Prof. Gabriel Barkay:

Temple Mount sifting project co-founder Gabriel Barkay dies after decades of biblical research. Israeli archaeologist Prof. Gabriel Barkay, who co-founded the Temple Mount Sifting Project and made key discoveries in Jerusalem, has passed away at 81, remembered for his contributions (Jerusalem Post Staff)

Archaeologist Who Died Last Night Made the Discovery of a Lifetime Thanks to an Annoying Child (Dinah Bucholz, JewishBreakingNews.com)

That discovery was, of course, the inscribed Ketef Hinnom silver amulets.

Background here and here.

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Albanese, Translation Technique and Literary Structures in Greek Isaiah 13:1–14:23 (SBL)

NEW BOOK FROM SBL PRESS:

Translation Technique and Literary Structures in Greek Isaiah 13:1–14:23
Matthew J. Albanese

ISBN 9781628376449
Volume SCS 79
Status Available
Price $64.00
Publication Date October 2025
Paperback $64.00
eBook $64.00
Hardback $84.00

Matthew J. Albanese explores the translation techniques behind the Greek version of Isaiah 13:1–14:23, offering fresh insights into how the translator rendered the Hebrew text. Through a detailed analysis of style, structure, and linguistic choices, this book reveals how the translator’s decisions were deeply rooted in the Hebrew text, shedding new light on the artistry of biblical interpretation and translation in ancient Judaism. The work also examines how certain divergences and shifts in Hebrew-to-Greek clause structure, semantics, and lexical misunderstanding influenced the formation of Greek Isaiah. The work advances Greek Isaiah research by highlighting the translator’s awareness and appropriation of features from larger thematic and structural portions of Hebrew Isaiah 13:1–14:23.

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Two Barkay obituaries

TWO MEMORIALS to Prof. Gabriel Barkay:

In Memoriam: Prof. Gabriel Barkay, Dean of Biblical Archaeology (1944–2026). Israel loses another archaeology giant (Armstrong Institute Staff).

In the old days, W. F. Albright was the Dean of Biblical Archaeology. I wonder who will take up that mantle now.

I didn't know about Prof. Barkay's book on Song of Songs.

A personal memorial by Todd Bolen at the Bible Places Blog:

Dr. Gabriel Barkay (1944-2026)

Most remembrances of Gabriel Barkay will likely focus on his archaeological contributions, but for me he was one of the most influential teachers of my life. He didn’t just demand that I know it all, he made me want to know it all. When students of mine complain about the lack of a (useful) exam study guide, I tell them about Dr. Barkay’s exam. There was one, on the last day of the semester, and your entire course grade depended on that one test. It was not multiple-choice or true/false. We had eight essay questions and two hours to write as fast as we possibly could everything we knew. Preparing for those exams taught me how to study, and I’ve never been the same.

Background here.

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A ceramic fingerprinting database

TECHNOLOGY WATCH: Israeli archaeologists launch project to trace origins of ancient pottery. The project, launched by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), aims to trace the origin of thousands of ceramic vessels even when the kilns where they were fired have long vanished (PESACH BENSON/TPS via Jerusalem Post).

According to a recent IAA announcement, thousands of pottery vessels uncovered at excavation sites across Israel will now be examined with advanced scientific methods and catalogued as part of a joint project led by Dr. Anat Cohen Weinberger of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Prof. Alexander Fantalkin of Tel Aviv University. ...

According to the announcement, the research is being developed as a wide-scale national project. As part of it, the IAA said it is building a digital “kiln atlas” to consolidate the accumulated knowledge and make it available to researchers through a platform being developed by the authority’s digital technologies division. The statement says the atlas is intended to serve as a long-term research infrastructure for studying production, trade, and regional connections in the past.

For a related 2020 article by the lead researcher, see here.

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The politics of "Palestine"

HISTORY, TERMINOLOGY, POLITICS: Uproar in British academia following use of the term 'Ancient Palestine' in Open University course. A course at the Open University in Britain stated that the Virgin Mary was born in 'ancient Palestine'; Jewish organization has contacted the university, claiming that the term is historically inaccurate; the incorrect term will be removed (Ynet News).

Oh dear. Not so long ago, "Palestine" was a neutral term for a particular geographical area. But now everything is political.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Gabriel Barkay, 1944-2026

SAD NEWS: THE PASSING OF DR. GABRIEL BARKAY (The Temple Mount Sifting Project Blog).

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of

Dr. Gabriel Barkay z”l, co-founder and director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

[...]

Aren Maier also has a brief notice at his blog: Sad News: Gabriel Barkay z”l….

Sad news this evening with the information that Dr. Gabriel (Gaby) Barkay z”l, passed away. May his memory be a blessing.

Gabi was for many years a leading figure in the archaeology of the Land of Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular, and among his many accomplishments, is well-known for his excavations in the Ketef Hinnom Cemetery, where he discovered the famous “Priestly Blessing” silver amulets.

[...]

These posts mention two of Professor Barkay's best-known accomplishments: the discovery of the Keter Hinnom siver amulets inscribed with the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24-26 (on which see here and many links) and his leadership of the Temple Mount Sifting Project. PaleoJudaica links to the Sifting Projects's blog frequently.

May his memory be for a blessing.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

The Roman army at Megiddo

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: The Roman Army at Armageddon. Crossroads of empire and faith (Marek Dospěl).

Writing for the Winter 2025 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, the archaeological team at Legio, headed by Matthew J. Adams and Yotam Tepper, presents the results of their ongoing research into the daily life and the cultural and religious transformations that took place there nearly two millennia ago.

The BAR article is behind the subscription wall, but this BHD essay gives a summary of it.

For PaleoJudaica posts on the excavation of the Sixth Legion Roman camp ("Legio") at Megiddo (a.k.a. the Megiddo Prison excavation), start here and follow the links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Erich von Däniken, 1935-2026

SAD NEWS: Erich von Däniken, author who spawned alien archaeology theory, dies at 90. The Swiss author whose bestselling books about the extraterrestrial origins of ancient civilizations brought him fame (AP via The Independent).

Mr. von Däniken's notions about ancient astronauts are bogus, but entertaining. I read his books at an impressionable age. They got me interested in biblical archaeology. The rest, as they say, is history. If not for him, quite likely you would not be reading this blog or anything else I have written.

For PaleoJudaica posts on Erich von Däniken and his daft ideas, start here and follow the links.

Peace be upon him. Requiescat in pace.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Muraoka, The Psalms of Solomon (Peeters)

NEW BOOK FROM PEETERS PRESS:

The Psalms of Solomon

Author:
Muraoka T.

Price: 35 euro
Year: 2025
Isbn: 9789042953826
Pages: XIV-139 p.

Summary:
The Psalms of Solomon comprise a collection of 18 ancient, beautiful psalms preserved in the Septuagint. No Hebrew or Aramaic text has come down to us. In addition to the Greek text, an ancient Syriac translation has been carefully looked at. This book presents the first English translation of the most recent critical edition (2018) prepared by F. Albrecht for the Göttingen Septuagint Project.

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Dhont (ed.), T&T Clark Handbook of Hellenistic Jewish Literature in Greek

NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:

T&T Clark Handbook of Hellenistic Jewish Literature in Greek

Marieke Dhont (Anthology Editor)

Hardback
$190.00 $171.00

Ebook (PDF)
$171.00 $136.80

Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
$171.00 $136.80

Product details

Published Oct 30 2025
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Extent 712
ISBN 9780567692368
Imprint T&T Clark
Dimensions 10 x 7 inches
Series T&T Clark Handbooks
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

Description

This volume provides a critical introduction to Hellenistic Jewish Literature. It offers serious students and scholars with an overview of the scholarly issues for each work (covering issues such as date, provenance, language, content, style, reception, contribution to ancient Judaism, etc.) as well as important information about critical editions, manuscripts, and secondary scholarship, serving as a clear starting point for anyone who is interested in this corpus of literature.

The volume begins with a set of thematic essays, providing orientation for the reader and examining core general issues such as language, geography and identity. The core of the volume provides overviews of the scholarly issues surrounding texts. Each entry provides readers with the core information necessary to study the text in depth and to understand its impact upon our understanding of Hellenistic Judaism and its later reception.

I've mentioned this one already as forthcoming, but it deserves a post of its own.

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Day Festschrift (T&T Clark)

NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:

Religion in Ancient Israel

Essays in Honour of John Day

Katherine E. Southwood (Anthology Editor) , Stuart Weeks (Anthology Editor) , H.G.M. Williamson (Anthology Editor)

Hardback
$120.00 $108.00

Ebook (PDF)
$108.00 $86.40

Product details

Published Dec 11 2025
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Extent 328
ISBN 9780567713001
Imprint T&T Clark
Dimensions 9 x 6 inches
Series The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

Description

This volume intersects with the work of John Day to illuminate major aspects of the religion of Ancient Israel in its geographical and historical context as well as by attention to the literatures of neighbouring peoples (especially, though not exclusively, Ugaritic). The introduction to the volume uses Day's scholarship as a framework within which the individual studies can be contextualized, whilst also describing broader developments within the field during the course of Day's career (such as arguments over the dating of texts, and questions about the very nature of 'ancient Israel') in order to sketch the history of scholarship in this period and discuss its directions of travel.

The chapters are organized into sections covering 'private' and 'public' religion and, whilst the volume does not seek to provide a comprehensive overview of ancient Israelite religion, it does provide a snapshot – by leading scholar scholars – that can stand as an overview of the current state of scholarly enquiry into the religious landscape of ancient Israel.

Congratulations to Professor Day!

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Paul the "Prancer?"

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: When Did Saul Become Paul? Did the apostle really change his name from Saul to Paul? (John Drummond).

In terms of names, there probably was no conversion of Saul to Paul. Saul was most likely called Paul at birth. Contrary to popular belief, Saul did not drop his Jewish name to fully embrace his new life and vocation as a Christian missionary to the Gentiles. ...

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Bar-Asher & Brown, Light is Sown (OUP)

NEW BOOK FROM OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS:

Light is Sown

The Cultivation of Kabbalah in Medieval Castile

Avishai Bar-Asher and Jeremy Phillip Brown

Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism

£64.00
Hardback

Published: 28 November 2025
248 Pages | 10 color illustrations
235x156mm
ISBN: 9780197744819

Also Available As:
E-book

Description

In a pioneering monograph-length study of the theological journey of Moses ben Shemtov de León of Guadalajara—self-proclaimed "Light of the West" and presumed writer of the Zohar, the kabbalah's crowning literary achievement—Avishai Bar-Asher and Jeremy Phillip Brown reach bold new conclusions about the kabbalah's prominence in medieval Castile. Through rigorous examinations of fragmentary texts inaccessible to scholars previously, the authors unearth critical insights about de León, specifically his regimens of pious living, discourse on gender, understanding of the Hebrew language, and signature thirteen-fold speculation. Bar-Asher and Brown correlate the large body of de León's Hebrew writings with the canonical Zohar, charting the parallel paths of their growth. They also reveal, with unprecedented clarity, the reciprocally interreferential character of the twin corpora at the heart of Castilian kabbalah.

Through the exploration of a variety of alternative contexts offering new interpretations of de León's remarkable creativity, Light is Sown offers extraordinary access to the intellectual history of the Zohar and its worlds. Ranging from those of Alfonsine Castile, where the innovation of ancient linguistic theories went hand-in-hand with imperialism and cultural annexation, to Renaissance Italy—where Christian apologists preserved kabbalistic writings that, if not for their intervention, would have otherwise been lost to time and history—the key discoveries and thematic insights offered in Light is Sown yield a timely analysis of one of the most glorious fruits of Jewish theology.

Cross-file under Zohar Watch.

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Review of Buckley, 1800 Years Of Encounters With Mandaeans

RELIGION PROF: Review: 1800 Years Of Encounters With Mandaeans (James F. McGrath).

Jorunn Buckley begins her book 1800 Years of Encounters with Mandaeans with a bold claim right in the first sentence. “The Mandaean religion can be traced back to the 1st century, directly related to John the Baptist” (p.ix). I am not sure why the next statement is to concede that this “is not the regular scholarly view” since so few scholars have made this a focus of their attention. Buckley, on the other hand, has dedicated her life to the study of this tradition, and her conclusion should carry appropriate weight....

The book is Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley, 1800 Years Of Encounters With Mandaeans (Gorgias, 2023).

The "review" is actually an AI digest of Professor McGrath's full review in Review of Biblical Literature, which is behind the subscription wall. Welcome to 2026!

James McGrath is also an expert on the Mandeans and on John the Baptist. For more on Professor Buckley's work, see here and links. Cross-file under Mandean (Mandaean) Watch.

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Is AI replacing archaeologists? Nope.

TECHNOLOGY WATCH: Replacing Archaeologists with AI. Archaeologists create a semi-autonomous detection system (Nathan Steinmeyer, Bible History Daily).

This BHD essay is a good overview of some issues arising from a story I posted on here. Despite the overblown headline, AI will not be replacing archaeologists any time soon. But it will be making their job easier.

Cross file under Algorithm Watch.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Another review of Conybeare, Augustine the African

PUNIC WATCH: Augustine’s African heritage. Catherine Conybeare’s new biography reveals a bishop formed by two worlds, two languages, and a church struggling to define itself (Margaret R. Miles, The Christian Century).

Generations of historians have represented Augustine of Hippo as the single most important figure in Christianity’s transition from antiquity to the medieval world. He is usually seen as an intransigent defender of classical values against the inevitable erosion caused by the spread of Christianity to multiple locations and populations. Yet Augustine was not Roman, nor was Latin his native tongue. He was born and raised in North Africa; Punic was the language of his childhood. Catherine Conybeare presents Augustine as a passionate and complex man who, rather than suppressing his loyalty to either Latin- or Punic-speaking churches, remained loyal both to the Roman church that baptized and ordained him and to his African identity.

[...]

It seems that there were still speakers of Punic (more precisely, Neo-Punic) in Augustine's time and that we know something about them. Some of them even constituted an "African church" with its own identity. That's the most interesting aspect of this book for me.

For more on Conybeare, Augustine the African, see here and here.

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