Biblically Compatible Archaeology and Geography

  by Damien F. Mackey     “Josephus relates that Simeon suddenly appeared among the Temple ruins, as though out of the bowels of the earth, dressed in white and covered with a purple mantle. At the sight of him the Romans were terrified, but after recovering from their fear, bound him in chains. His strange appearance was probably connected with messianic expectations on his part …”.   Simeon Bar Giora | Jewish Virtual Library     Simeon Bar Giora (D. 70 C.E.) BAR GIORA, SIMEON , Jewish military leader in the war against Rome (66–70 C.E.). Simeon was born, according to Josephus, in *Gerasa, a large Hellenistic city in Transjordan, where the Jews lived in peace with the city's non-Jewish population. Some scholars, however, identify his birthplace with the village of Jerash in the neighborhood of Hartuv (Press, Ere ẓ , 1 (1951 2 ), 174, S.V.  Geresh ), others with Kefar Jorish near Shechem on the grounds tha...

  by Damien F. Mackey     Biblical Gideon and his 300 were appropriated as Spartan Leonidas and his 300: [G] ID-EON = [L] EON - ID -AS. Egyptian admiral Usanhuru was appropriated as Spartan Lysander. Elamite king Tammiratu was appropriated as Spartan king Demaratus. Etc.     “Hugo Jones writes that the Spartans held in the highest regard a certain ancient law-giver, much like Moses the law-giver of Israel. The Spartans celebrated new moons ( Rosh Chodesh ), and unlike their Greek counterparts, even a seventh day of rest! Of course, the Spartans themselves were very different from other Greeks, particularly those in Athens, whom Sparta often battled”. Mayim Achronim     According to King Arius of Sparta, his people shared a common ancestry with the Jews through Abraham. I Maccabees 12:19-23:   This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Onias: ‘King Arius of the Spartans, to the high priest Onias, greeti...