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Magdala
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=== Roman period === Archaeological excavations on behalf of the [[Israel Antiquities Authority]] (IAA) conducted in 2006 found that the settlement began during the [[Hellenistic period]] (between the second and first centuries BCE) and ended during the late Roman period (third century CE).<ref name=hadashot2009>{{cite journal |last= Avshalom-Gorni |first= Dina |title= Migdal: 11/11/2009 Preliminary Report |journal= Hadashot Arkheologiyot |volume= 121 |url=http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/report_detail_eng.aspx?id=1236&mag_id=115|date=11 November 2009}}</ref> Later excavations in 2009–2013 brought perhaps the most important discovery in the site: an ancient [[synagogue]], called the "[[Migdal Synagogue]]", dating from the [[Second Temple period]]. It is the oldest synagogue found in the Galilee, and one of the few synagogues from that period found in the entire country, as of the time of the excavation. They also found the [[Magdala stone]], which has a seven-branched [[Menorah (Temple)|menorah]] symbol carved on it. It is the earliest menorah of that period to be discovered outside [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Avshalom-Gorni |first1=Dina |last2=Najar |first2=Arfan |title=Volume 125 Year 2013: Migdal |url=http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/report_detail_eng.aspx?id=2304 |publisher=Hadashot Arkheologiyot |date=6 August 2013}}</ref> Archaeologists discovered an entire first century Jewish town lying just below the surface. The excavation revealed multiple structures and four ''mikvaot'' (plural of ''mikvah'' or ''[[mikveh]]''). In 2021, another synagogue from the same period was discovered at Magdala.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=2nd-Temple-period synagogue found where Gospel's Mary Magdalene was born |url=https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/2nd-temple-period-synagogue-found-where-gospels-mary-magdalene-was-born-688519 |access-date=2021-12-12 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.com |language=en-US}}</ref> At Magdala, two texts from the first century were discovered. The initial finding is a Greek [[mosaic]] inscription embedded in [[tessera]], displaying the word ΚΑΙΣΥ, translated as "(Welcome) also to you!". The second finding is a lead weight with Greek inscriptions from the 23rd year of [[Herod Agrippa II|Agrippa II]], referencing two [[Agoranomos|agoranomoi]], enabling its dating to either 71/2 or 82/3 CE.<ref>{{Citation |title=Volume 5/Part 1 Galilaea and Northern Regions: 5876-6924 |date=2023-03-20 |work=Volume 5/Part 1 Galilaea and Northern Regions: 5876-6924 |pages=685 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110715774/html |access-date=2024-02-05 |publisher=De Gruyter |language=en |doi=10.1515/9783110715774 |isbn=978-3-11-071577-4|url-access=subscription }}</ref> A collapse layer from the Second Temple period supports [[Josephus]]'s narrative of the Roman destruction of Magdala during the [[First Jewish–Roman War]].<ref name=hadashot2009/> Excavations show that after the destruction, during the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, the city moved slightly to the north.<ref name=hadashot2009/> {{Quote|text="...it [Magdala] was the most important city on the western bank of the lake, contributing a wagon-load of taxes [...] until [[Herod Antipas]] raised up a rival on the lake by building [[Tiberias]]." --[[Gustaf Dalman]]<ref name=Schaebergp56>Schaberg, 2004, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=tNioAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA56 56–57].</ref>}} Magdala has been described as the "capital of a [[toparchy]]" and compared to [[Sepphoris]] and Tiberias in that it had "administrative apparatus and personnel" though not to the same extent.<ref name=Schaebergp58>Schaberg, 2004, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=tNioAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA58 58]</ref> ==== Synagogues ==== [[File:0031מגדלא רהיט אבן ופסיפס בבית הכנסת כנראה שימש להנחת ספר תורה.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Inside the excavated synagogue]] The remains of a Roman-period synagogue dated to 50 BCE- 100 CE were discovered in 2009. The walls of the {{convert|120|m2|adj=on}} main hall were decorated with brightly colored frescoes and inside was a stone block carved with a seven-branched [[Menorah (Temple)|menorah]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ancient synagogue found in Israel |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/11/jerusalem.synagogue/index.html |last=Flower |first=Kevin |date=2009-09-11 |work=CNN}}</ref> In December 2021, a second synagogue dating to the Second Temple period was unearthed at Magdala.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> It is the first time two synagogues from this period have been found in a single site. The second synagogue found was not as ornate as the first, and probably served the city's industrial zone.<ref name=":1" /> The city was destroyed by the Romans during the [[First Jewish–Roman War|First Jewish-Roman War]].<ref name="hadashot2009" />
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