In ancient Rome the “centurion” meant “captain of 100”, and the Roman centurion was captain over 100 foot soldiers in a legion. The centurion was loyal and courageous, beginning as a soldier in the army and working their way up the ranks. They were noticed by the general for their skill and courage in battle, and were made officers.
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The main sources available estimate that the population of those living in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus was probably around 80,000 to 100,000 citizens. But during the Passover hundreds of thousands of Jews from the Diaspora would pour into Jeru...
Augustus was born with the name Gaius Octavian on September 23, 63 B.C. His parents were C. Octavius and Atia, a niece of Julius Caesar, by his sister Julia. Source: Augustus Caesar...
The ancient sun dial reveals the hours in a day. It has a surface with hour lines and a stick or gnomon which casts a shadow as the sun advances in its daily course. The sun dial is mentioned in the Bible as far back as the time of King Ahaz. Herodot...
In the Bible, the crown of thorns is mentioned in the account of Jesus' crucifixion. Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:17, and John 19:2 describe how the Roman soldiers twisted thorns into a crown and placed it on Jesus' head as a form of mockery and humiliatio...
In the Bible, an alabaster jar refers to a type of container made from alabaster stone. Alabaster is a soft, white or translucent mineral often used in ancient times for crafting vessels or containers for various purposes. One notable mention of an a...
There are five primary sources for the study of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Temple of Herod. They are: The BibleThe Books of MaccabeesJosephus*The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Mishna** *War book 5, chapter 5; Antiquities book 15 chapter 11**tractates ...
According to the biblical account in Exodus 14, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea during their escape from Egypt. When they reached the shores of the sea, Moses stretched out his hand, and God caused a strong east wind to blow all night, parting the...
In the Temple of Artemis also referred to as Diana the statue of the Roman goddess was depicted as covered entirely with breasts. This is because Diana was the goddess of fertility, and the multi-breasts were denoting fertility, nourishing the living...
The Wilderness of Judea, mentioned in the Bible, refers to a geographical region located east of Jerusalem and extending toward the Dead Sea. It is characterized by its rugged terrain, barren landscapes, and limited vegetation, making it a challengin...
The ancient historian Tacitus mentioned Pontius Pilate by name (Ann. xv. 44) and that he was appointed in A.D. 25-26, “in the twelfth year of Tiberius.” Pontius Pilate was the sixth Roman procurator of Judea, and under him our Lord worked, suffer...
The Arch of Titus is one of Rome’s most famous monuments. It was built to commemorate the victories of Titus and Vespasian in the war against the Jews and their complete destruction in 70 AD. One wall relief inside the arch shows the spoils of the...
Geographically, the Old Testament “world” extended from the Nile river in the south west, to eastern Greece in the north west, to the Caspian Sea on the north east to the mountains just east of the Persian Gulf on the south east. The entire area ...
This map reveals the “Nations” within the ancient world during the first century A.D., the time of the New Testament. The New Testament world includes the areas of Israel, Asia, Greece, and Italy. During the life of Jesus his ministry took place ...
The Passover Papyrus is a letter from among the elephantine papyri that dates back to the time of Darius II, in 419 BC. In 1907 archaeologists discovered in Aswan papyrus fragments of a letter that bears the royal authority of the Persian Empire (not...
Scholars recognize that the primary sources for the study of ancient Assyria are the Assyrian Annals, the Assyrian Chronicles and Eponym Canon, The Assyrian King List, Assyrian Sculptures, and the Bible. The Assyrian Annals. The scribes of the chief ...
The ancient Mayan civilization, renowned for its advanced understanding of astronomy and mathematics, developed a highly sophisticated calendar system that remains a testament to their intellectual prowess. Through intricate observations of celestial...
Augustus, the first emperor of Rome had in his empire 25 legions of approximately 6,000 soldiers each. A legion was formed of 10 Cohorts (540 men in each Cohort). Each Cohort was subdivided into 6 Centuries (90 men formed a Century), and each legion ...
The five primary sources we have for the events in the life of Alexander are Diodorus Siculus, Quintus Curtius Rufus, Plutarch, Lucius Flavius Arrianus, and the Alexander Romance. “For I myself believe that there was at that time no race of mankind...
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