Ancient Canaanite
city built on a 116' high hill on a promontory overlooking the
only natural harbor on the southern Palestinian coast. Joppa was
claimed by the tribe of Dan during the Israelite settlement but
was soon lost to the Philistines. Solomon made it the major port
in Judea (10th c.
BCE). After a period of Greek domination Joppa
was returned to Judean control by Jonathan,
the brother & heir of Judah
Maccabee (147
BCE). Pompey
briefly made it an independent city
(67
BCE), but Julius
Caesar awarded it to Antipater
(46 BCE) & it remained under Judean administration
throughout the reign of Herod. But after Archelaus
was deposed (6
CE),
the Roman prefect at Caesarea was given
jurisdiction over the city. Still, its population remained
staunchly Jewish. It was destroyed by Vespasian
in 68
CE for its role in the Jewish revolt. There is, however,
no hint of such cultural or political tensions in the two
stories of Peter's activity that Luke sets at Joppa [Acts 9-10].
References:
Josephus,
Antiquities
11.78; 13.91-92, 180, 215, 261,
14.202-205, 396-397; 15.217; 17:320.
_____, War 1.50, 99,
292-293, 396; 2.97, 507-508; 3.414-431.
Jonah 1:1-3.
Acts 9:36-10.48.
For further information about archaeological & historical evidence, see:
-
Buttrick, G. A., ed. Interpreter's
Dictionary of the Bible. vol. 2 (NY/Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1962) p. 970-971.
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