2024-06-21 16:52:20
On the time of each sieges (about 701 BC), the Assyrians managed a quickly rising empire that stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.
The siege of Lachish and Jerusalem is incessantly talked about within the Hebrew Bible – and is believed to have resulted in Jerusalem when “The angel of the Lord got here into the camp of the Assyrians that very same night time, and struck down 100 and eighty-five thousand males” (2 Kings 35). However historic Assyrian inscriptions inform a unique story, saying that King Hezekiah of Judea paid a heavy tribute to get the Assyrians to go away.
Lachiso lies
Within the British Museum, London, there’s a reduction depicting the Lachish Cloak displaying an Assyrian camp. Stephen Compton, an unbiased scholar specializing in Close to Japanese archaeology, in contrast the terrain to a twentieth century to start with and center pictures displaying Lachish. He recognized an space north of Lachish with an oval-shaped, walled construction that he believed could have been an Assyrian camp.
S. Compton famous that Assyrian camps have been often oval in form. The Arabic identify for the proposed encampment is Khirbet al Mudawwara, and within the Center Ages the phrase Mudawwara could have referred to the place the place the Sultan arrange a navy camp. This implies that individuals who lived on the website in later occasions knew that the traditional Assyrians used it as a camp, based on Compton’s article printed in žurnale „Close to Japanese Archaeology“.
As well as, through the twentieth century Archaeological analysis carried out at the start of the twentieth century discovered pottery shards, the type of which dates again to across the time when Sennacherib besieged Lachish, the scientist notes. He advised Stay Science that he has despatched a replica of his paper to archaeologists working within the Lachish space, and hopes future excavations will assist decide whether or not it’s certainly an Assyrian camp.
Jerusalem camp
Within the case of the Jerusalem camp, Mr. Compton used outdated aerial images and Nineteenth-century data of archaeological excavations. He notes that in 1881-1882 The Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) discovered the partitions within the Jebel el Mudawwara space north of the Temple Mount. The Palestine Exploration Fund is a non-profit group that helps analysis within the area.
Nineteenth century archaeologists thought it was a Roman camp, however excavation paperwork present that the camp is oval in form. “Romans [karinės stovyklos] was rectangular in form, and pictures present that it was roughly oval, comparable to an Assyrian camp,” the researcher writes. As well as, within the Nineteenth century sources use the identify “Mudawwara” related to navy camps to explain the world.
If it’s the place the place Sennacherib arrange camp for the siege of Jerusalem, or it may be Nob, the place the place the Tabernacle, the movable temple constructed by Moses, as soon as stood, S. Compton thinks. The Hebrew Bible states that the Tabernacle was constructed at Nob and that Sennacherib halted his assault on Jerusalem at Nob.
Because of the twentieth century historical past at this website could make new excavations tougher. twentieth century within the Thirties the British constructed an ammunition depot on the location, and it grew to become often called “Ammunition Hill”. in 1948 The Jordanian military has deployed troops to the world and constructed quite a few trenches and fortifications. in 1967 a bloody battle occurred right here between Israeli and Jordanian troopers, after which the hill was captured by Israeli troopers. In the present day it homes a museum and memorial website.
Scientists’ reactions
Opinions of scientists who didn’t take part within the research differed about S. Compton’s conclusions. Some have famous that the concept the Khirbet al Mudawwara website in Lachish is an Assyrian camp is believable. “The Lachish case is essentially the most fascinating,” says Israel Finkelstein, professor emeritus of archeology at Tel Aviv College. “The subsequent factor to do is to test the suspected space bodily.”
Eckart Frahm, professor of Assyriology at Yale College, additionally says that it’s doable that Khirbet al Mudawwara was an Assyrian siege camp.
However others doubt it. Tel Aviv College archeology professor emeritus David Ussishkin, who has finished in depth work at Lachish, says he believes the siege camp was southwest of Lachish.
In the meantime, the thought of Jebel el Mudawwara as a siege camp for Jerusalem acquired a backlash. E. Frahm says that the Assyrian inscriptions present that though Sennacherib blockaded Jerusalem, he didn’t try and seize it by storm or utilizing siege engines. Assyrian inscriptions say Sennacherib constructed “fortified buildings” to dam Jerusalem, relatively than constructing a single camp, the scholar factors out.
E. Frahm additionally disagrees with the which means of the Arabic phrase “mudawwara”, saying that it doesn’t essentially check with the place the place the sultan pitched his tent. “The principle which means of the Arabic ‘mudawwara’, if I’m not mistaken, is ‘spherical place’ – and in my view, the various totally different al-Mudawwaras mentioned by the creator merely check with the roundness of the construction that the time period describes,” says E. Frahm.
The researchers be aware that additional analysis is required. Mordechai Cogan, professor emeritus of biblical historical past on the Hebrew College of Jerusalem, says the panorama wherein the websites are situated may make them best for Assyrian navy camps – but additionally stresses that new archaeological digs are wanted.
2024-06-21 16:52:20