חורבת קציון (Hebrew) | |
Alternative name | Horvat Qazyon |
---|---|
Location | Israel |
Region | Upper Galilee |
Coordinates | 33°02′35″N 35°31′45″E / 33.04306°N 35.52917°E |
Palestine grid | 199/272 |
Type | Settlement, synagogue |
History | |
Periods | Roman period |
Associated with | Jews |
Site notes | |
Condition | In ruins |
Public access | Yes |
Qision (Hebrew: קַצִיּוֹן, also Qazion or Qatsion) is an archaeological site in northern Israel, featuring the ruins of an ancient settlement, including an ancient synagogue, alongside an inscription dedicated to the Roman emperor Septimius Severus and his family commissioned by the local Jewish community.[1][2]
Location and history
The site is located in the Upper Galilee, approximately 9 km northeast of Safed[2] and 1 km north of Meroth.[3] Its ruins are known as Ḥorvat Qazyon[2] (Hebrew: חורבת קציון), or Khirbet Qasyun.[1]
During the reign of the Roman Severan dynasty, Qision was part of the province of Syria Phoenice.[2]
Qision is the birthplace or hometown of Rabbi Yohanan from Kasion (Hebrew: רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּקַצִיּוֹן; also Karṣion[4]), a sage mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud.[1]
Inscription
A Greek-language inscription was found in Qision, dating to 195/6 CE.[2] Discovered near an ancient building in 1860 by Ernest Renan,[3][5] it was rediscovered in 1984.[2] This inscription, originally part of a lintel, is dedicated to the salvation of Septimius Severus and his family.[2]
The inscription is missing a section from the right corner. On the left side, a wreath with stylized leaves ending in a ribbon bound in a 'Hercules' knot features the name of Julia Domna. A similar wreath on the right side is missing.[2]
The inscription was dedicated by the local Jewish community, as indicated in its text "in accord with the vow of the Jews" (originally [ἐξ] | εὐχῆς Ἰουδαίων). The Jewish villagers of Qision sought to display their loyalty to the imperial family, mirroring the practices of other communities in the province of Syria.[2]
Structure
A structure discovered in Qision, unparalleled elsewhere, has sparked significant scholarly debate about its purpose, with opinions divided between two interpretations: Jewish synagogue or a Syro-Phoenician Roman temple.[3]
In an effort to resolve this dispute, Rachel Hachlili and A. E. Killebrew undertook three survey seasons at the site in 1992 and 1997.[3]
Killebrew proposed that the structure, dating from the late second and early third century CE, might have functioned as a cultic complex for ceremonies or festivals, constructed by local Jews to honor the imperial family.[3]
See also
- Kalybe (temple) for cult of the emperor
- Roman imperial cult
References
- ^ a b c Avi-Yonah, Michael (1976). "Gazetteer of Roman Palestine". Qedem. 5: 89. ISSN 0333-5844.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "XXVII. Qision (mod. Ḥ. Qazyon)", Volume 5/Part 1 Galilaea and Northern Regions: 5876-6924, De Gruyter, pp. 160–162, 2023-03-20, doi:10.1515/9783110715774-035, ISBN 978-3-11-071577-4, retrieved 2024-04-04
- ^ a b c d e Killebrew, Ann E. (2013). "Qazion: A Late Second–Early Third-Century CE Rural Cultic Complex in the Upper Galilee Dedicated to Septimius Severus and His Family". Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies. 1 (2): 113–160. ISSN 2166-3556.
- ^ "Jerusalem Talmud Beitzah 5:5:2". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
- ^ Renan, E. (1871) Mission de Phénicie p. 774