Ancient Sources

Places of Ascalon, Gaza, Negev, Sinai

128. Betylium - (Shaykh Zuwayd ?)

ORIGINAL TEXTS

De Rafia usque ad Betuliam, ubi Olofernis mortuus est, milia XII.
(Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3 (ca. 530 A.D.)
From Raphia it is twelve miles to Bethulia, where Holofernes died.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND
Judith 4:6-7 Bethulia and Holofernes' campaign
The high priest, Joakim, who was in Jerusalem at the time [of Holofernes' campaign], wrote to the people of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which faces Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan, ordering them to seize the mountain passes, since by them Judea could be invaded; and it would be easy to stop any who tried to enter, for the approach was narrow, wide enough for only two at a time to pass.

MORE ANCIENT SOURCES
Sozomenus, Historia Ecclesiastica V,15 (5th cent. A.D.)
My grand-father was born in a pagan (Hellenic) family, however he, with all his house and together with those of Alaphion's descent, was the first to become Christian in Bethelia, a village of the Gazan region. This was a village with many inhabitants and had some (pagan) temples, which were deemed venerable by the natives for their antiquity or for their noble structure. The most important was the Pantheon, built upon an artificial hill like a fortress, and visible from every place in the village.

BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS

Hierocles, Synecdemos 721:1-11 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Palaestina Prima, 22 cities under a consularis: Cesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis, Azotos on the sea, Azotos inland, Eleuteropolis, Aelia which is also Jerusalem, Neapolis, [Livias], Sebaste, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Sycamazon, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Gaza, Raphia, Ascalon, Gazaris, Betylion.

Georgius Cyprius, 997-1027 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Palaestina Prima, Aelia-Jerusalem, Caesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis wich is also Georgiopolis, Iamnia, Nicopolis, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Ascalon, Gaza, Raphia, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Eleutheropolis, Neapolis, Sebaste, region of Amathous, region of Jericho, region of Livias, region of Gadara, Azotos Paralos, Azotos, Sycomazon, Bitylion, Tricomias, Toxos, Canstantiniac Salton, Geraritic Salton wich is also Barsamon.

EPISCOPAL CITY

Bishops' list
Aiax (A.D. 362)
Theognius (A.D. 494-522)
Manuel (A.D. 536)

Map Section 9 Place Discussion

Created Saturday, December 16, 2000 at 13:46:50
by Eugenio Alliata ofm in collaboration with Stefano de Luca ofm
Webmaster: John Abela ofm - Space by courtesy of Christus Rex
© copyright - Studium Biblicum Franciscanum - Jerusalem 2000

128. Betylium - (Shaykh Zuwayd ?)

ORIGINAL TEXTS De Rafia usque ad Betuliam, ubi Olofernis mortuus est, milia XII. (Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3)	ENGLISH TRANSLATION *Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae,* 3 (ca. 530 A.D.)** From Raphia it is twelve miles to Bethulia, where Holofernes died.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND Judith 4:6-7 Bethulia and Holofernes' campaign The high priest, Joakim, who was in Jerusalem at the time [of Holofernes' campaign], wrote to the people of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which faces Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan, ordering them to seize the mountain passes, since by them Judea could be invaded; and it would be easy to stop any who tried to enter, for the approach was narrow, wide enough for only two at a time to pass.
MORE ANCIENT SOURCES *Sozomenus, Historia Ecclesiastica* V,15 (5th cent. A.D.) My grand-father was born in a pagan (Hellenic) family, however he, with all his house and together with those of Alaphion's descent, was the first to become Christian in Bethelia, a village of the Gazan region. This was a village with many inhabitants and had some (pagan) temples, which were deemed venerable by the natives for their antiquity or for their noble structure. The most important was the Pantheon, built upon an artificial hill like a fortress, and visible from every place in the village. BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS Hierocles, Synecdemos 721:1-11 (7th cent. A.D.)** Province of Palaestina Prima, 22 cities under a consularis: Cesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis, Azotos on the sea, Azotos inland, Eleuteropolis, Aelia which is also Jerusalem, Neapolis, [Livias], Sebaste, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Sycamazon, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Gaza, Raphia, Ascalon, Gazaris, Betylion. Georgius Cyprius, 997-1027 (7th cent. A.D.) Province of Palaestina Prima, Aelia-Jerusalem, Caesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis wich is also Georgiopolis, Iamnia, Nicopolis, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Ascalon, Gaza, Raphia, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Eleutheropolis, Neapolis, Sebaste, region of Amathous, region of Jericho, region of Livias, region of Gadara, Azotos Paralos, Azotos, Sycomazon, Bitylion, Tricomias, Toxos, Canstantiniac Salton, Geraritic Salton wich is also Barsamon. EPISCOPAL CITY Bishops' list Aiax (A.D. 362) Theognius (A.D. 494-522) Manuel (A.D. 536)