Books by Rick Bonnie
Brepols, 2019
'Being Jewish in Galilee, 100–200 CE' provides an in-depth archaeological study of Galilee’s Jewi... more 'Being Jewish in Galilee, 100–200 CE' provides an in-depth archaeological study of Galilee’s Jewish community in the period concerned. It explores evidence of infrastructure, art and architecture, as well as ritual practices from this period in Galilee by drawing comparisons with the period before and by contextualizing this material within the broader cultural environment of the Roman East. Set within debates of cultural interaction in the Roman East in general, the book offers an archaeological understanding of what “being Jewish” meant to the Jewish communities in Galilee during this period; and in what way these communities differed from their Phoenician, Syrian and Arab neighbors.
A Roman cadastre is a particular form of land allotment which looks like a chequerboard. It was i... more A Roman cadastre is a particular form of land allotment which looks like a chequerboard. It was implemented by the Romans in regions throughout the Empire, from Syria to Gaul. Yet, how did a Roman cadastre exactly look like? What has Roman cadastration in common with centuriatio and parcellation, and what not? Are aerial photographs and maps a reliable source to reveal traces of a Roman cadastre? Did Roman cadastres exist outside the Mediterranean region, and if so, what are the consequences of its existence on a socio-cultural level?
Behind these apparently straightforward questions are for most scholars simple definitive answers. On the basis of these answers scholars have regarded the archaeological study of Roman cadastres often as optimistic, biased and even unscientific.
In Cadastres, Misconceptions and Northern Gaul Rick Bonnie argues that during the Middle-Roman period a cadastre was implemented by the Romans around the provincial Roman city of Tongres. In contrast to general beliefs, Bonnie demonstrates that it is possible, using aerial photographs and maps, to reconstruct a landscape outside the Mediterranean region that was overlain by a Roman cadastre. It furthermore discusses and examines the history of research, historical and archaeological sources on Roman cadastres, as well as the Roman period of the Belgian Hesbaye region.
Selection of articles by Rick Bonnie
This article offers an overview of what every theologian and scholar of religion
should know abo... more This article offers an overview of what every theologian and scholar of religion
should know about changes in biblical studies that have taken place concerning the past
depreciation of Second Temple Judaism, the use of newly discovered sources and their
implications, as well as integrative approaches to top-down (reflected beliefs, prescribed
practices, textual sources) and bottom-up (intuitive beliefs, lived practices, material culture) processes. Changes in the field lead to the re-writing of the history of the Bible and of Judaean society in the Greco-Roman context. By means of this co-authored research article, we wish to demonstrate the benefit of, as well as the need for, interdisciplinary work in the study of antiquity.
A salvage excavation in the modern city of Tiberias in 2002 exposed the remnants of a wide, curve... more A salvage excavation in the modern city of Tiberias in 2002 exposed the remnants of a wide, curved ashlar structure. Based on its curved shape, its construction date, and its location, various scholars have identified this structure as the foundation wall of the Roman stadium mentioned by Josephus in relation to the First Jewish Revolt (66–67 C.E.). However, neither Josephus nor the later rabbinic sources imply the presence of a stone-built monumental stadium at the location of this site, nor does all of the exposed evidence related to the structure fit with the stadium theory. Therefore, a different interpretation for this structure is proposed. Based on the presence of a mooring stone projecting outward from the structure's waterside and the complex's strong similarities in structural characteristics and in elevation to the nearby late Hellenistic to Roman harbor of Magdala, it is argued that the remains should be identified as those of a quay, a stone platform built along the lakeshore to accommodate the loading and unloading of boats. If this interpretation is correct, it suggests the existence of a harbor structure in the northeast area of Roman Tiberias.
The small columnar Building D1 discovered at Magdala in the early 1970s was first identified by t... more The small columnar Building D1 discovered at Magdala in the early 1970s was first identified by the excavators as a mini-synagogue. Although Ehud Netzer has convincingly opposed this view, arguing that the building functioned as a fountain house, some scholars challenge Netzer’s identification, most notably on the basis of a doubtful comparison with a supposedly canonic type of Roman nymphaeum. Consequently, alternative interpretations for the function of this building, such as a synagogue or a latrine, continue to appear in the literature. This paper argues that the building has not been compared to the right category of public fountains. Indeed, Magdala’s Building D1 presents strong similarities with contemporary examples of late-Hellenistic fountain architecture in Asia Minor and fits perfectly within the context of the long-term evolution of the so-called stoa-shaped fountain houses. The function of Building D1 as a fountain house, as argued by Netzer, seems very likely, particularly on the basis of comparative data from the city of Sagalassos (south-west Turkey).
In western Europe, cultural resource management agencies have enforced, through treaties and legi... more In western Europe, cultural resource management agencies have enforced, through treaties and legislation, the principle that archaeological sites endangered by development are protected. Excavation has played – and still plays – a major role in this: thousands of archaeological sites that are threatened by destruction have been ‘rescued’ through excavations. While treaties (e.g. Malta 1992, 4.2) and legislations (e.g. Planning Policy Statement 5, A.13; Wet op de archeologische monumentenzorg, 2007) stipulate that rescue excavation stands equal to protection, they also acknowledge that there are better ways – like in situ preservation – to protect our heritage.(Online publication April 21 2011)
Roman Galilee’s importance in Christian and Jewish history has caused a focus on two periods, the... more Roman Galilee’s importance in Christian and Jewish history has caused a focus on two periods, the Early and Late Roman period. The period in between, the second century AD, has largely been neglected. Considering the archaeological excavations of the last 40 years however, the second century seems to have been a period of cultural integration with the Roman Mediterranean world. In this article, I will discuss this period, therefore, as a transitional period in Galilee’s Roman history. It changes from being a somewhat marginal region in the Early Roman period to a dynamic one in the Late Roman period when Roman, Jewish and Christian cultures become heavily intertwined.
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Books by Rick Bonnie
Behind these apparently straightforward questions are for most scholars simple definitive answers. On the basis of these answers scholars have regarded the archaeological study of Roman cadastres often as optimistic, biased and even unscientific.
In Cadastres, Misconceptions and Northern Gaul Rick Bonnie argues that during the Middle-Roman period a cadastre was implemented by the Romans around the provincial Roman city of Tongres. In contrast to general beliefs, Bonnie demonstrates that it is possible, using aerial photographs and maps, to reconstruct a landscape outside the Mediterranean region that was overlain by a Roman cadastre. It furthermore discusses and examines the history of research, historical and archaeological sources on Roman cadastres, as well as the Roman period of the Belgian Hesbaye region.
Selection of articles by Rick Bonnie
should know about changes in biblical studies that have taken place concerning the past
depreciation of Second Temple Judaism, the use of newly discovered sources and their
implications, as well as integrative approaches to top-down (reflected beliefs, prescribed
practices, textual sources) and bottom-up (intuitive beliefs, lived practices, material culture) processes. Changes in the field lead to the re-writing of the history of the Bible and of Judaean society in the Greco-Roman context. By means of this co-authored research article, we wish to demonstrate the benefit of, as well as the need for, interdisciplinary work in the study of antiquity.
Behind these apparently straightforward questions are for most scholars simple definitive answers. On the basis of these answers scholars have regarded the archaeological study of Roman cadastres often as optimistic, biased and even unscientific.
In Cadastres, Misconceptions and Northern Gaul Rick Bonnie argues that during the Middle-Roman period a cadastre was implemented by the Romans around the provincial Roman city of Tongres. In contrast to general beliefs, Bonnie demonstrates that it is possible, using aerial photographs and maps, to reconstruct a landscape outside the Mediterranean region that was overlain by a Roman cadastre. It furthermore discusses and examines the history of research, historical and archaeological sources on Roman cadastres, as well as the Roman period of the Belgian Hesbaye region.
should know about changes in biblical studies that have taken place concerning the past
depreciation of Second Temple Judaism, the use of newly discovered sources and their
implications, as well as integrative approaches to top-down (reflected beliefs, prescribed
practices, textual sources) and bottom-up (intuitive beliefs, lived practices, material culture) processes. Changes in the field lead to the re-writing of the history of the Bible and of Judaean society in the Greco-Roman context. By means of this co-authored research article, we wish to demonstrate the benefit of, as well as the need for, interdisciplinary work in the study of antiquity.