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Roman-Byzantine City
Uncovered In the North

Jerusalem — A magnificent
Roman-Byzantine city of
monumental proportions is
being uncovered in the small
development town of Beit
She'an in archaeological ex-
cavations being conducted by
the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem in cooperation
with national and local
authorities.
The excavations, im-
plemented on a large scale
last year, have revealed not
only an amphitheater, which
thrilled the residents of the
time with gladiatorial spec-
tacles, but also remains of the
city center of the Roman-era
town (known as Scythopolis),
complete with public
buildings, a forum, an impos-
ing monument, statuary and
altars to Roman gods.
Dr. Gideon Foerster and
Prof. Yoram Tsafrir, both of
the Hebrew University In-
stitute of Archaeology, are in
charge of one of the two teams
excavating ancient Beit
She'an. Giora Solar is the
architect.
There is another dig in the
same area, concentrating on
the stage of the previously ex-
cavated Roman theater and
on • a nearby Roman-
Byzantine bathhouse
(therma).
One of the most impressive
of this season's finds, accor-
ding to Prof. Tsafrir, is a mar-
ble sculpture, the figure of an
armor-clad Roman emperor,

Also found was an
altar to Dionysos,
the patron
founder-god of Belt
She'an.

not yet identified, dating from
the 2nd Century C.E. The
figure is limbless and
headless, but retains great
detail on the intact trunk por-
tion of the body.
Other finds, some of which
date back to the beginning of
the 1st Century C.E., include
an altar to the god Dionysos,
who is considered the patron
founder-god of Beit She'an,
plus additional pagan bas-
relief figures on altars il-
lustrating such well known
gods as Pan and his compa-
nions. Numerous inscriptions
have been discovered on the
remnants of columns and
altars, including one to the
god "Zeus of the High Moun-
tains" (Zeus Akraios), and
another which refers to a god-
dess, possibly Athena.
An inscription found on a

column which apparently was
in the public square is
dedicated by the local
authorities to "Lucida,
daughter of Casiodoros, the
builder of the temple." One
nine-row inscription found on
a pillar informs the propeAy
owners of their obligation to
pay their taxes (an
equivalent, perhaps, to public
service announcements of
modern times). The inscrip-
tions all appear in Greek, the
language of record of that era.

Prof. Tsafrir said that Beit
She'an's relative remoteness
from centers of population ap-
parently saved it from being
extensively plundered
through the ages for the sake
of building materials.
Enormous columns, toppled
on their sides and reaching
up to 12 meters in length,
have been unearthed, as have
meticulously chiseled
pedestals and capitals from
these columns. The columns
and other architectural
elements were made from
limestone brought from near-
by Mount Gilboa, granite
from Egypt and marble from
Asia Minor and Greece.
Alongside the Roman am-
phitheater — which when ful-
ly unearthed will measure.
some 102 meters long and 67
meters wide — the ar-
chaeologists have uncovered
the original basalt stone
pavement of the main Byzan-
tine era road which connected
the amphitheater to the city
center. At one point on the
road, an inscription was
found telling that it was built
by the governor (archon, in
Greek) Flavius Orestes, in the
year 585 of the city's foun-
ding, which corresponds to
521-522 C.E.
The amphitheater is the
best preserved of its type yet
discovered in Israel. It ap-
parently fell into disuse dur-
ing the latter Byzantine era
because of the Christian
stand against these types of
games. Homes were actually
then built in the arena of the
amphitheater and under its
covered vaults. During that
period (the 5th-6th centuries
C.E.), the population of the ci-
ty reached its peak (some
30,000).
The area apparently suf-
fered an earthquake in 747
C.E. during the early Arab
period. The arcades, walls and
stores all were found toppled
in strata in one direction, still
maintaining the order in
which they stood on the
Byzantine street.

40475 Ann Arbor Rd. at 1-275, Plymouth, MI

The LeVine Institute on Aging, the Senior Adult Department —
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit and Sinai Hospital

present

HEAR, There and Everywhere!

Keynote Speaker:

NANETTE FABRAY

Award winning actress, comedienne,
singer, and dancer who
conquered her hearing loss and
captured our hearts.

1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday, October 18, 1987

Jimmy Prentis Morris Branch,
Jewish Community Center

-

15110 West Ten Mile Road,
Oak Park

Learn about how to identify and live with hearing loss. Take advantage of free
hearing screening by the audiology staff of Sinai Hospital.

Special concurrent presentations include:

1. How Do You Live in the World When You Can't Hear It As Well?
Keith Lepard, M.D., Medical Director, SHHIPS Clinic (Sinai Hospital Hear-
ing Impaired Professional Services)

2. Identifying Hearing Loss in Adults
Donald Lobelle, M.S., Senior Clinical Audiologist, Section of Speech
Pathology and Audiology, Sinai Hospital

3. Maximizing Communication
Tamy Chelst, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Audiology,
School of Medicine, Wayne State University

4. Advancements of the 80's
Barbara Washington, Sales Consultant, Michigan Bell Telecommunica-
tions Quality Center

To attend, please fill out the coupon below and mail with a check for $7.00 to:

LeVine Institute on Aging

attn: C. Kermavner
19100 West Seven Mile Road
Detroit, Michigan 48219

Name
Address

Mark first and second choices for concurrent presentations:
Session One
(4)
(3)
• (2)
First Choice:
( 1)
(4)
(3)
(2)
(1)
Second Choice:
Session Two
(4)
(3)
(2)
First Choice:
( 1)
(4)
(3)
(2)
(1)
Second Choice:

Please note: Coupon must be received by October 11, 1987. Registration at the
door will be $8.00.

For information call Carol Kermavner at 532-7112.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

39