Gamla: The Masada of the North: Episode 14

Subscribe to our channel! bit.ly/2RlSRyj
In 70 CE, the Romans sacked Jerusalem during the First Roman-Jewish War. Two years later, in 72 CE, the Romans destroyed the last Judean stronghold Masada. This episode will examine a lesser-known battle at the town of Gamla near the Sea of Galilee to explore the Roman war machine in the late-1st century CE.
Website: www.patheos.com​
Facebook: / patheos

[@CABRERO1945]

I visited Gamla 1985 very impresive and brave history.

[@PopGoesTheology]

Great video, Dr Henry. Some scholars hold the view that *Josephus* was not a reliable historian by today's standards. 4:56 What are your thoughts on the *historical* *veracity* of Josephus' writings?

[@practicalskeptic4774]

It depends on the writings you are looking at. It's not as if Josephus either only ever told lies, or only ever told truths. That is too simplified of a viewpoint. As shown in this video, Josephus is known to exaggerate Roman prowess in war as a propaganda machine (because writing propaganda saved his life), and he is known to exaggerate the convictions of the Jewish people in revolt as a Jewish person himself. But the archeology reveals what is and isn't an exaggeration. Did 4,000 Jewish commit suicide rather than give in to roman rule? Probably not, there aren't mass graves around the dig site. But did the Romans actually attack and take the city of Gamla as Josephus described? Yes, there are plentiful evidence of a roman takeover of the city dated to the correct time. In basic high level events, the historical accuracy of Josephus has proven to be backed up just fine. But he was by no means an unbiased writer, nor was anyone in that time period as the chronicles of war were written by the victors and archeology to either back up or refute claims had not been invented.

[@friedkeenan]

Often you'll find _most_ ancient historians were not reliable, a la Herodotus.

[@pansepot1490]

Josephus was not a historian in today’s meaning of the word.

[@PBAmygdala2021]

On top of all of that, there's the fact that we don't have any originals. Only copies of copies of copies, etc.
We don't know how much the oldest versions have been redacted or outright forged.

[@varana]

@@PBAmygdala2021 Redaction and forgery leave a trace in the record, though, and need someone to actually do it for some reason. We know enough about ancient literature and textual transmission to be quite certain about most of these texts.

[@practicalskeptic4774]

Great video summarizing a lesser known event in the Roman-Jewish war. I learned a lot

[@sheltr9735]

I visited Gamla. Once there, it's easy for anybody to actually feel the history. It's in the geography, in the archeology.
Gamla is really just the size of a village. And the Roman army, a juggernaut, was right there.
The ballistas could fire large stones and spears. They were only a few hundred meters away.
I was utterly terrified.

[@RestingJudge]

Even as a student of history it's always jarring to know the brutality that occurred at such scenic places.

[@robbabcock_]

Great video! I'm loving this collaboration.🙏👍

[@meinkanal60]

Watching this i wondered where they got water from? Is there a spring present, similar to the one in Jerusalem or did they have to hike down the hills to get water? It really is a defensible place, but without water, they are trapped during a siege.

[@richardglady3009]

Thank you for this story and video. The visuals were great. The description was concise and informative. Very interesting.

[@rufus_mcdufus]

Fantastic video. Absolutely loving the whole series!

[@thli8472]

Gamla means 'the old' in Swedish.

[@elkiness]

The Hebrew is ''gamal''.

[@elkiness]

Very, very interesting and well done. I was there about 40 years ago, so this helps me catch up with what has been learned since then!

[@curiousworld7912]

I knew there was a second revolt, but your video really filled out the story. Thank you!

[@DrSales-zl3kq]

Why is it that they don't find bodies at the bottom of the valley it means it may never have taken place. How about somebody after the Romans left came around and scooped them all up and gave them some sort of decent mass burial

[@susanknight4841]

I've been there, and looking down from that dizzying height, it was horrendous to think of people being smashed as they landed on the rocks below. If the town was defeated and deserted then surely it's unlikely anyone climbed all the way down to bury enemy bodies. If they remained unburied then it's likely they'd be eaten and bones scattered by wild animals and scavengers. So after 2000 years it would be surprising to find any skeletons. I agree that not finding bodies, as you say, doesn't mean it didn't happen.

[@philipd1439]

Thank you!

[@2tehnik]

wait a minute..
This isn't about anything directly Biblical. Well, not like I care, it's still interesting.

[@JordanAmit]

EXcellent presentation as always. Super interesting. I was there as a kid but only saw it from above. Never actually been on the hill itself.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Veeeery interesting! - Very interesting, you say? - Veeeeerrry...veeeeerrry...

[@grimmace2131]

That was excellent. Thank you.

[@shelbybrown8312]

This channel is amazing

[@0THEDUDE666]

שנית גמלא לא תיפול.

[@Pingwn]

גמלא לא תיפול שנית.*

[@adrianblake8876]

@@Pingwn לא, הנוסח שלו מדוייק...
(רק עם מצדה במקום גמלא)

[@Pingwn]

@@adrianblake8876 קצת מוזר לשים את השנית בתחילת המשפט

[@adrianblake8876]

@@Pingwn זו צורת הדגשה

[@Pingwn]

@@adrianblake8876 כנראה, אני פשוט לא רגיל אליה.