Tzippori (Hebrew: ציפורי‎), also known by the Greek Sepphoris, in Latin Dioceserea, and the Arabic Saffuriya (Arabic: صفورية‎) or Suffurriye,^[1] is located in the central Galilee region, six kilometers north-northwest of Nazareth. Tzippori (ציפורי also known by the Greek Sepphoris, in Latin Dioceserea, and the Arabic Saffuriya (صفورية or Suffurriye Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest It is the site of a rich and diverse historical and architectural legacy that includes Assyrian, Hellenistic, Judean, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Arabic and Ottoman influences. Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

Interest on the part of Biblical archaeologists is related to the belief in Christian tradition that the parents of the Virgin Mary, Anna and Joachim, were natives of Sepphoris, which at the time was a Hellenized town. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Saint Anne (also Ann or Anna of David's house and line was the mother of the Virgin Mary, according to Christian tradition Saint Joachim ("he whom YHWH has set up" Hebrew: יהוֹיָקִים Greek Ἰωακείμ was the husband of Saint Anne Hellenization (or Hellenisation) is a term used to describe the spread of Greek culture. ^[2]

Other notable structures include a Roman theater, two early Christian Churches, a Crusader fortress that was renovated by Daher El-Omar in the 18th century, and some 40 mosaics. The Roman theatre is a theatre building built by the Romans for watching theatrical performances. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Dhaher al-Omar (also Dahar Daher (Arabic ظاهر العمر الزيداني zāhir al-`umar az-zaydānī, born ca Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic

Safurriya was one of the Palestinian villages destroyed in the 1948 war. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn ^[3][4] Most of the village homes were destroyed in Operation Dekel, and pine trees were subsequently planted by the Jewish National Fund (JNF). Operation Dekel (מבצע דקל Mivtza Dekel, lit Operation Palm Tree) was the largest offensive in the north of Israel during the first and second The Jewish National Fund ( Hebrew: קרן קימת לישראל Keren Kayemet LeYisrael) (abbreviated as JNF, and sometimes KKL) was founded ^[4] A collective farming community was established by Israel at the site in 1949. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. In 1992, Tzippori was designated a national park and is a popular destination among tour groups.

The Israeli moshav of Tzippori sits near the archaeological site. Moshav ( is a type of Cooperative Agricultural Community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second While many of the former Palestinian residents of Saffuriya fled to Lebanon or other countries, some are now citizens of the State of Israel,^[5] and are largely concentrated in the al-Safafira quarter of the nearby town of Nazareth. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Contents 1 History 2 Archaeological sites 3 References 4 See also 5 External links

History

Although the date of the city's establishment is a point of some dispute, it is at least as old as the 7th century BCE, when it is fortified by the Assyrians, subsequently serving as an administrative center in the region under Babylonian, Hellenistic and Persian rule. The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Throughout this time period, the city was known as Sepphoris.

In 104 BCE, the Hasmoneans settled there under the leadership of either Alexander Jannaeus or Aristobulus I. The Hasmoneans (/hæzməˡniən/ חשמונאים Hashmonaiym, Audio were the ruling dynasty of the Hasmonean Kingdom ( 140 &ndash 37 BCE Alexander Jannaeus (also known as Alexander Jannai/Yannai) king of Judea from (103 BCE to 76 BCE son of John Hyrcanus, inherited the throne from his For other people with this name see Aristobulus (disambiguation Aristobulus (reigned 104-103 BC was a king of the Hebrew ^[6] The city was called Tzippori and may have derived from the Hebrew word for 'bird,' tsippor, perhaps because of the bird's-eye view the hilltop provides.

The Hasmonean Kingdom was divided into five districts by the Roman pro-consul Gabinius and Sepphoris came under the direct rule of the Romans in the year 37 BCE, when Herod the Great captured the city from Mattathaias Antigonus reportedly at the height of a snowstorm. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the Year 37 BC was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho ^[7]

After Herod's death in 4 BCE, the city's largely Jewish inhabitants rebelled against Roman rule. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, Late Antiquity (c 300-600 is a Periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in Year 4 BC was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. The Roman army moved in, under the command of the Roman Governor in Syria, Varus. The Roman army completely destroyed the city and sold many of its inhabitants into slavery. ^[7]

Herod's son, Herod Antipas was made Tetrarch, or governor in 1 CE, and he proclaimed the city's new name, Autocratis, or the "Ornament of the Galilee. Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho Herod Antipas (short for Antipatros (before 20 BC &ndash after AD 39) was a first century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title Year 1 ( I) was a Common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, "^[8]

Autocratis' inhabitants did not join the resistance against Roman rule in the First Jewish Revolt of 66. Year 66 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. They signed a pact with the Roman army and opened the gates of the city to the Roman general Vespasian upon his arrival in 67. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Vespasian ( November 17 9 &ndash June 23 79) was a Roman Emperor who ^[7] They were rewarded by having their city spared from the destruction suffered by many other Jewish cities, including Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the

Coins minted in the city at the time of the First Revolt carried the inscription Neronias and Eirenopolis, "City of Peace. " After the revolt, symbology used on the coins was little different from other surrounding pagan city coins with depictions of laurel wreaths, palm trees, caduceus, and ears of barley. ^[8]

Just prior to the Bar Kokhba revolt, the city's name was changed yet again to Diocaesarea. Background After the failed Great Jewish Revolt in the year 70 the Roman authorities took measures to suppress the rebellious province Following the Bar Kokhba revolt in 132–135, many Jewish refugees settled there, turning it into the center of religious and spiritual life in the Galilee. Background After the failed Great Jewish Revolt in the year 70 the Roman authorities took measures to suppress the rebellious province Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, one of the compilers of the Mishnah, a commentary on the Torah, moved to Tzippori, along with the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish religious court. The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to The Sanhedrin (סנהדרין συνέδριον ''synedrion'', "sitting together" hence " assembly " or "council" was an assembly ^[9] Jewish academies of learning became based there. Diocaeserea, so named in honor of Zeus and the Roman Emperor, became not only a center of spiritual and religious study, but also a busy trade route town. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC

In 363, Diocaesarea was destroyed by an earthquake, but rebuilt soon afterwards, retaining its importance in the greater Jewish community of the Galilee, both socially and spiritually. Events By Place Roman Empire March 5 — Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 against the Jews and pagan Romans lived peacefully alongside one another during the Byzantine period, and the city welcomed a number of Christians, as well.

In the 7th century, the city was incorporated into the expanding Umayyad dynasty, and al-jund coins were minted out of by the new rulers. ^[10] Umayyad rule was replaced by Abbasid rule, and Arab and Islamic dynasties continued to control the city, with a brief interlude during the Crusades, up until its conquest by Israel in the war of 1948. Throughout this period of time, the city was known by the Arabicized name of the Greek original, i. e. Saffuriya.

In the 14 centuries between the rule of Herod of Antipas and that of the Ottoman empire, the city reportedly thrived as a center of learning, with a diverse, multiethnic and mutlireligious population of some 30,000 living in relatively peaceful coexistence. ^[11]

The early 12th century brought the Crusaders to Palestine. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. They built a fortress and watchtower atop the hill, overlooking Saffuriya, and dedicated it to Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary. Tzippori (ציפורי also known by the Greek Sepphoris, in Latin Dioceserea, and the Arabic Saffuriya (صفورية or Suffurriye Saint Anne (also Ann or Anna of David's house and line was the mother of the Virgin Mary, according to Christian tradition Saint Joachim ("he whom YHWH has set up" Hebrew: יהוֹיָקִים Greek Ἰωακείμ was the husband of Saint Anne This became one of their local bases and they renamed the city La Sephorie. In 1187, the Crusaders were dispatched from La Sephorie to fight the Battle of Hattin, against Saladin. The Battle of Hattin (also known as " The Horns of Hattin " because of a nearby extinct Volcano of the same name took place on Saturday July Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c They were defeated at Hattin, and the Third Crusade ultimately failed as a whole. The Third Crusade (1189&ndash1192 also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin

After the defeat of the Crusaders by Saladin, the Ayyubid Sultan renamed the city Saffuriya. The Ayyubid or Ayyoubid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origins which ruled Egypt, Syria, Yemen (except for In the 15th century, Saffuriya came under the control of the Ottomans. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish It remained a titular see of the Roman Catholic church. A titular see in the Roman Catholic Church is a Diocese or Archdiocese that now exists in title only

Though it lost its centrality and importance as a cultural center, the village thrived agriculturally. Saffuriyya's pomegranates, olives and wheat were famous throughout the Galilee. The pomegranate ( Punica granatum) is a Fruit -bearing Deciduous Shrub or small Tree growing to between five and eight metres tall The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. ^[12] Even among Palestinians today, the villagers of Saffuriya remain famous for high quality pomegranate and molokhia (a local edible green used to make a kind of stew with chicken) cultivation.

In summer of 1931, archaeologist Leroy Waterman, began the first excavations at Saffuriya, having procured permission from Arab villagers to dig in part of the school's playground which had been the site of a Crusader fortress. . ^[1]

In the lead up to the Israeli War of Independence by which Israel was established, the village of Saffuriyya was emptied of its inhabitants by Israeli militia forces in Operation Dekel. Operation Dekel (מבצע דקל Mivtza Dekel, lit Operation Palm Tree) was the largest offensive in the north of Israel during the first and second Some of the refugees settled in the camps of Ein al-Hilwa, Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon. Ain al-Hilweh (variously Ayn al-Hilweh Ein al-Hilweh etc the literal meaning is "sweet spring " (عين الحلوة is the largest Palestinian The Shatila refugee camp (مخيم شاتيلة (also Chatila refugee camp) is a long-term Refugee camp for Palestinian refugees set up by UNRWA Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Many became internally displaced, settling in the nearby town of Nazareth in a quarter now known as the al-Safafira quarter because of the high number refugees from Saffuriya concentrated there. Internally displaced persons (IDPs are people forced to flee their homes but who unlike refugees remain within their country's borders ^[12] The neighbourhood is only a few kilometers from the site of their former homes, but the Israeli government has resisted attempts to repatriate or compensate them for the homes and lands that they lost, as it has for other Internally Displaced Palestinians. Internally displaced Palestinians is a term used to refer to Palestinians and their descendants who as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war became Internally A new Jewish farming collective was established in 1948, and the town was renamed Tzippori. Archaeological research began in force there in 1990, and excavations continue. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

Archaeological sites

The Crusader fortress sits high atop the hill, overlooking both the Roman theater and the majority of the Jewish city. It was built in the 12th century, using Roman elements, and was rebuilt by the Ottomans in the 18th century, and then converted into a girls' school, and used for this purpose until 1948. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Today the fortress houses a small museum, and provides a beautiful view of the surrounding area from its rooftop.

Much of the town itself has been excavated, revealing Jewish homes along a main cobblestone street. Several images have been found carved into the stones of the street, including that of a menorah, and another image that resembles some ancient game reminiscent of tic-tac-toe. Pekiin tabletjpg|thumb|right|151px| Second Temple period stone tablet from a Synagogue in Peki'in, Israel. Mikva'ot (pl. of Mikvah ), or Jewish ritual baths, have been found as well, identified by the steps leading to the bottom, carved out of the earth along with the rest of the bath. Mikvah (or mikveh) ( plural mikva'ot or mikves) is a ritual bath designed for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism.

The Roman theater sits on the northern slope of the hill, and is about 45 m in diameter, seating 4500. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Most of it is carved into the hillside, but some parts are supported by separate stone pillars. The theater shows evidence of ancient damage, probably from the earthquake in 363, but also quite possibly from the Arab conquest. Events By Place Roman Empire March 5 — Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 against the

The remains of a 6th century synagogue have been uncovered in the lower section of the city, evidence of an interesting fusion of Jewish and pagan beliefs. In the center of the floor is a mosaic depicting the zodiac wheel. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic Helios sits in the middle, in his sun chariot, and each zodiac is matched with a Jewish month. In Greek mythology the Sun was personified as Helios (ˈhiliˌɑs ( Ἥλιος Latinized as Helius) Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי ha'luach ha'ivri) or Jewish calendar is a Lunisolar calendar used by Jews for predominantly religious Along the sides of the mosaic are strips depicting Biblical scenes, such as the binding of Isaac, as well as traditional rituals, including a burnt sacrifice and the offering of fruits and grains. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq

A modern structure stands to one side of the excavations, protecting the remains of a 5th century public building, with a large and intricate mosaic floor. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic Some believe the room was used for festival rituals involving a celebration of water, and possibly covering the floor in water. Drainage channels have been found in the floor, and the majority of the mosaic seems devoted to measuring the floods of the Nile, and celebrations of those floods. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River

Finally, a Roman villa is arguably the centerpiece of the discoveries, containing one of the most famous mosaics in all of Israel. It was built around the year 200, and destroyed in the earthquake in 363. Events By Place World Human population reaches about 257 million Events By Place Roman Empire March 5 — Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 against the The villa is in the traditional form of a triclinium; seats would have been arranged in a U-shape around the mosaic, Roman villa mosaic floor and people would have reclined while dining and drinking, talking and contemplating the mosaic images. Roman cuisine changed over the long duration (over a thousand years of their ancient civilization. The mosaic, for the most part, is devoted to Dionysus, god of wine, and of socializing. In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman He is seen along with Pan and Hercules in several of the 15 panels. Pan ( Greek, Genitive) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks of mountain wilds hunting and rustic music paein means to pasture Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena.

The centerpiece of the mosaic floor, however, at least for the archaeologists, is an image of a young lady, possibly meant to be Venus, which the researchers have dubbed "The Mona Lisa of the Galilee. Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess " Smaller mosaic pieces, called tesserae, were used to allow for greater detail and a more life-like result. "Abaciscus" redirects here For the Geometer moth Genus, see Abaciscus (moth. The image is certainly more life-like, and more detailed (as in the shading and blush of her cheeks) than most expect mosaics to be.

References

See also

• List of villages depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
• Taha Muhammad Ali

External links

• Web site of the Zippori excavation project led by Prof. Zeev Weiss of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• "[1]. Taha Muhammad Ali (طه محمد علي born in 1931 in Saffuriyya, a village in the Galilee, Israel, is a contemporary Palestinian Poet " Palestine Remembered. com
• "Zippori. " Hillel International. (Accessed 12 January 2005). Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• "Zippori. " Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Accessed 9 February 2005)
• "Zippori. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. " Hebrew University of Jerusalem. (Accessed 4 May 2006)
• "Tzippori. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. " Jewish Agency for Israel/Education Dept. (Accessed 9 February 2005)
• PBS Frontline: The Surprises of Sepphoris

Coordinates: 32°45′08″N 35°16′52″E / 32.75222, 35.28111

Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

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