Samaria

Sămărīa, ae, f., = Σαμάρεια (orig. Heb. ),

• the middle district of Palestine, Plin. 5, 13, 14, § 68.—Hence,
• • A Să-mărītae, ārum, m., the inhabitants of Samaria, the Samaritans, Tac. A. 12, 54; Vulg. 4 Reg. 17, 29.—In sing.: Sămărī-tes, ae, m., a Samaritan, Hadr. ap. Vop. Sat. 8.—
  • B Sămărītis, ĭdis, f., a Samaritan woman, Juvenc. 2, 246; 252; Alcim. 3, 405.—
  • C Sămărītānus, a, um, adj., Samaritan: via, Sedul. 4, 222.—In plur., the Samaritans, Vulg. 2 Esd. 4, 2.—
  • D Sămărītĭcus, a, um, adj., Samaritan: mulier, Juvenc. 2, 256.—
  • E Sămă-rēus, a, um, adj., Samaritan: superstitio, Cassiod. Var. 3, 45.

Samarīa, ae, f. (Σαμάρεια), eine Landschaft mit gleichnamiger Hauptstadt in Palästina, Plin. 5, 68 sq. – Dav.: A) Samarītēs, ae, m., der Samariter, Tac. u.a. – B) Samarītānus, a, um, samaritanisch, Eccl.: subst., Samarītāna, ae, f., die Samaritanerin, Eccl.: Plur. Samarītānī, ōrum, m., die Samaritaner, Eccl. – C) Samarīticus, a, um, samaritisch, Eccl. – D) Samarītis, idis, f., samaritisch, femina, Iuvenc. 2, 252: subst., die Samariterin, Eccl. – E) Samarītida, ae, f., samaritisch, mulier, Iuvenc. 2, 256. – F) Samarēus, a, um, samaritisch, superstitio, Cassiod. var. 3, 45, 2.

Sămărīa, æ, f. (Σαμάρεια), Samarie [contrée et v. de Palestine] : Plin. 5, 68 || -ītæ, ārum, m. , Samaritains : Tac. Ann. 12, 54 ; sing. Samarites, æ, m. , un Samaritain : Hadr. d. Vop. Sat. 8 || -ītis, ĭdis, f. , Samaritaine : Juvenc. 2, 246 || -ītānus, Sedul. Carm. pasch. 4, 222 et -ītĭcus, a, um, Juvenc. 2, 256, de Samarie, samaritain || -ītānī, m. , les Samaritains : Vulg.

SAMARIA

SAMA´RIA (Σαμαρεῖιτις, LXX. Joseph.; χώρα Σαμαρέων, Σαμαρίς, Σαμάρεια, Ptol.). The district has been already described in general, under PALAESTINA[p. 518], where also the notice of Josephus has been cited [p. 532]. It remains to add a few words concerning its extent, its special characteristics, and its place in classical geography. It lay, according to Josephus, between Judaea and Galilee (comp. St. John, 4.4), extending from a village called Ginaea in the great plain (Esdraelon) to the toparchy of Acrabatta.G inaea there can be no difficulty in identifying with the modern Jenin, at the southern extremity of the plain, on the road from Nablûs to Nazareth. The toparchy of Acrabatta, mentioned also by Pliny, it is difficult to define: but it certainly lay between Nablûs and Jericho, and therefore probably east of the toparchy of Gophna and in the same parallel of latitude. (Eusebius, Onomast. s. v. Ἀκραββεὶν; Reland, Palaest. p. 192.) The northern boundary of Samaria is well defined by a continuous line of hills, which, commencing with Mount Carmel on the W., runs first in a SW direction and then almost due E. to the valley of the Jordan, bounding the great plain of Esdraelon on the S. Its southern boundary is not so distinctly marked, but was probably conterminous with the northern limits of the tribe of Benjamin. It comprehended the tribe of Ephraim, and the half of Manasseh on this side Jordan, and, if it be extended as far E. as Jordan, included also some part of Issachar, that skirted these two tribes on the E. Pliny (Plin. Nat. 5.13) reckons to Samaria the towns Neapolis, formerly called Mamortha, Sebaste, and Gamala, which last is certainly erroneous. [GAMALA] Ptolemy names Neapolis and Thena (Θῆνα, 5.16.5), which last is evidently identical with Thanath (Θανὰθ) of the tribe of Joseph, mentioned by Eusebius (Onomast. s. v. ), and still existing in a village named Thena, 10 miles E. of Neapolis, on the descent to the Jordan. St. Jerome notes that the most precious oil was produced in Samaria (in Hoseam, cap. xii.), and its fertility is attested by Josephus.

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SAMARIA

SAMARIA, SEBASTE (Σαμάρεια, Σεβάστη), the Hebrew SHOMRON, the capital city of the kingdom of Israel, and he royal residence from the time of Omri (cir. B.C. 925), of whom it is said that he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria( Heb. Shemeron). (1 Kings, 16.24.) Mr. Stanley thinks that Omri built it merely as a palatial residence (Sinai and Palestine, p. 240); but Dr. Robinson perhaps more justly concludes that it was chosen as the site of the capital, and remarks that it would be difficult to find in all Palestine a situation of equal strength, fertility, and beauty combined.( Bibl. Res. 3. p. 146.) Its great strength is attested by the fact that it endured a siege from all the power of the Syrian army under Hazael, in the days of Jehoram (cir. B.C. 892), little more than 30 years after its first foundation, and was not taken notwithstanding the frightful effects of the famine within the walls (2 Kings, 7.24--8.20); and when subsequently besieged by the Assyrians (cir. B.C. 721) it was only reduced after: siege of three years (18.9, 10). After the captivity it was taken by John Hyrcanus, after a year's siege, when he is said to have sapped the foundations of it with water and destroyed all traces of a city. It was subsequently occupied by the Jews until Pompey restored it to its own inhabitants. It was further restored by Gabinius. (J. AJ, 15.4, 14.4.4, 5.3, 13.10.3, 15.4.) It was granted to Herod the Great by Augustus on the death of Antony and Cleopatra, and was by him converted into a Roman city under the name of Sebaste ==Augusta, in honour of his imperial patron. (Ant. 15.3. § § 3, 7, 8.5, B. J. 1.20.3.) The town was surrounded with a wall 20 stadia in length: in the middle of the town was a temple built in honour of Caesar, itself of large dimensions, and standing in a temenos of 1 1/2 stadium square. It was colonised with 6000 veterans and others, to whom was assigned an extremely fertile district around the city. (B. J. 1.21.2.) Dr. Robinson imagines that it was in this city that Philip first preached the Gospel, and that the church was founded by the apostles St. Peter and St. John (Acts, 8.5, &c.); but considering the absence of the article in the original, supplied in the English translation, and comparing the passage with the identical expression in St. John (4.5), it is more probable that the same town is intended, viz. Sychar, or Neapolis, the chief seat of the Samaritan worship. Nor does the expression in Acts (8.14), that Samaria had received the word of God,m ilitate against this view; for here also the country may be very well understood, and it is well remarked by Dr. Robinson that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish whether, under the name Samaria, the city or the region is meant.( Bibl. Res. 3. p. 146.) It is most probable, however, that the sacred writers would have used the classical name then in vogue had they had occasion to mention the city. Septimius Severus placed a colony there in the beginning of the third century (Ulpian, quoted by Robinson, l. c. p 148, n. 1), and it was probably at that time an episcopal see; for its bishop, Marius or Marinus, was present at the Council of Nicaea and subscribed its acts. (Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, vol. iii. col. 549--552.) The tradition which assigns Sebaste as the place of St. John Baptist's imprisonment and martyrdom is first found in St. Jerome (Comment in Osee, 1.5), who also places there the tombs of Obadiah and Elisha (Comment. in Abdiam, 1.1, Epitaph. Paulae, 100.6,) and militates against Josephus, whose statement, however, is inadmissible. [MACHAERUS] The modern village which represents in its name and site the magnificent city of Herod the Great is situated on an isolated hill 6 miles N. of Nablû‘s, reckoned by Josephus a day's journey from Jerusalem (Art xv<*> 11.) The, village occupies only the eastern extremity of the hill, and stands at the height of about 926 feet above the sea. Its only conspicuous building is the ruined church of St. John, overhanging the brow of the eastern declivity: at the further extremity of the hill, are the remains of an ancient gateway, and near it stand 60 columns in situ, the commencement apparently of a colonnade which extended the whole length of the hill, for at some distance eastward 20 more still stand, and others, whole or in fragments, lie prostrate over the whole hill, while the débris of the buildings have raised the surrounding valleys, remarkably fulfilling the prophecy of Micah (1.6): I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, as plantings of a vineyard; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.A t about half its height the hill is girt about with a distinct belt of level ground, while similar terraces, not so well defined, may be traced above and below, which it is thought may have once served as the streets of the city. (Ritter, Erdkunde Palästina, iii. pp. 661--666.) Coins of the city are quoted by Vaillant, Noris, Eckhel, and others, chiefly of the earlier emperors.

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Samarīa

(Σαμάρεια; Hebr. Shomron). (1) A district of Palestine extending along the coast from near Caesarea to Joppa on the south. (See Palestina.)

(2) An important city of Palestine on a line west of the Jordan River. It was founded by Omri, King of Israel, in the tenth century B.C., and was the capital of the Israelites until taken by Shalmaneser of Assyria, about B.C. 720. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, those of the Samaritans who worshipped Jehovah offered to assist them in rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem; but their aid was refused, and hence arose the lasting hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. This religious animosity reached its height when, in the reign of Darius Nothus, the son of the Jewish high-priest, having married the daughter of Sanballat, governor of Samaria, went over to the Samaritans and became high-priest of a temple which his father-in-law built for him, on Mount Gerizim, near Sichem. The erection of this temple had also the effect of diminishing the importance of the city of Samaria. Under the Syrian kings and the Maccabean princes, we find the name of Samaria used distinctly as that of a province, which consisted of the district between Galilee on the north and Judaea on the south. Samaria was taken by Alexander the Great, by Ptolemy I. (B.C. 312), and by Demetrius Poliorcetes (B.C. 276). In the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Samaritans escaped by conforming to the king's edicts and dedicating the temple on Mount Gerizim to Zeus Hellenius (B.C. 167). As the power of the Asmonean princes increased, they attacked the Samaritans; and, about B.C. 110, the Jewish leader John Hyrcanus took and destroyed the temple on Mount Gerizim and the city of Samaria. The latter seems to have been soon rebuilt. Pompey assigned the district to the province of Syria, and Gabinius fortified the city anew. Augustus gave the district to Herod, who greatly renovated the city of Samaria, which he called Sebasté in honour of his patron. By the fourth century A.D. Samaria had ceased to be a place of any importance. There still exist remains of a basilica of the time of Herod, and of a Roman temple. See Appel, De Reb. Samar. sub Imperio Romanorum (1874).

SAMARIAlater SEBASTE Jordan/Israel.

The capital of Israel, built by Omri. In 332 B.C. the place was conquered by Alexander the Great, who settled thousands of Macedonian veterans there. The city was conquered several times by Hellenistic rulers, and in 108 B.C. by John Hyrcanus, who utterly destroyed it (Joseph. BJ 1.164). In 63 B.C. Pompey annexed Samaria to the Roman Provincia Syria (BJ 1.156), and it was rebuilt under Gabinius in 57 B.C. (BJ 1.166). In 30 B.C. Augustus gave Samaria to Herod, who rebuilt it and renamed it Sebaste in honor of the emperor. Josephus left a detailed description of the magnificence of the new city (AJ 15.217, 292, 296-97). Herod also settled foreign Veterans there so that Samaria had a mixed population. During the Great War of 66-70 Samaria was destroyed but was soon rebuilt. Septimius Severus raised it to the rank of colony in A.D. 200. In the Late Roman period Samaria declined. It was a rather small town in the Byzantine period. A popular Christian tradition placed the tomb of John the Baptist at Samaria, for which reason several churches were built there. After the Arab conquest of Palestine the city was completely deserted.

Samaria was extensively excavated in 1908-1910 and again in 1931-1935. In the Iron Age, Israelite Samaria consisted of a fortified acropolis, where stood the royal palaces, and the lower city. This was not materially changed in Hellenistic and Roman times. In the Early Hellenistic period the old walls of the acropolis were still in use, but huge round towers were added. One of these has a diameter of 19 m, and its 19 courses still rise to a height of 8.5 m. The tower is dated to the late 4th c. B.C. The gate was on the W, at about the same place as was the Iron Age gate.

About the 2d c. B.C. a new wall 4.2 m thick was built at the base of the acropolis, surrounding an area of 230 by 120 m. It was strengthened by rectangular towers. This is most probably the wall destroyed by John Hyrcanus in 108 B.C. In the Roman period the entire town was surrounded by a new wall, enclosing an area of ca. 68 ha. The city measured 1 km from E to W, and a little less than 1 km from N to S. The city gate, on the W, was protected by two massive round towers, 14 m in diameter, and still preserved to a height of 8-11 m. The square bases on which the towers stand are of the Hellenistic period. The gate is Herodian with some additions made during the reign of Septimius Severus. From this period dates the colonnaded street 800 m long, which connected the W and E gates. It was 12.5 m broad, and there were shops on both sides.

On the W part of the acropolis hill were discovered remains of a residential quarter, probably built during the reconstruction of the town by Gabinius. Above this quarter, which is on the highest part of the hill, Herod built the Temple of Augustus (35 x 24 m). In front of it was a spacious court resting on an artificial platform (87 x 72 m). The platform was supported by vaulted corridors. Its retaining walls were 15 m high on the N side. A broad flight of steps led from the court to the temple, which stood on a podium 4.5 m higher than the court. A portico led from the stairs to the temple, which had a wide nave and very narrow aisles. During the reign of Septimius Severus the temple was rebuilt on approximately the same plan. To this phase belong the broad flight of steps and the altar in the court in front of the temple. The torso of a large statue, probably of Augustus, was discovered close to the altar. North of the temple of Augustus another temple, dedicated to Kore, was erected. Only the foundations remain. In the fill of this building were found architectural fragments of an earlier temple, of the 3d c. B.C. An inscription from the fill helped to identify this earlier building as a Temple of Isis, probably destroyed by John Hyrcanus.

In the NE part of the town was a stadium, which, according to an inscription, was also connected with the cult of Kore. The building is only partly excavated. Two building phases were observed. To Herod's time belongs a Doric building, with painted plastered walls. The later building, of the 2d c. A.D., was of the Corinthian order. A statue of Kore and a dedicatory inscription were found in a nearby cistern.

On the NE slope of the acropolis was a theater with an outer diameter of 65 m. Sections of the scaenae frons, pulpitum, orchestra, and the cavea were unearthed. The scaenae frons was decorated with alternating round and square niches. The cavea consisted of two parts, of which the lower had 14 rows of seats, separated by flights of steps into seven cunei. The theater is dated to the early 3d c. A.D. To the E of the acropolis, at the base of the hill, lies the forum (128 x 72.5 m), also erected on a raised platform. There were colonnades on all four sides with 24 columns on the W, traces of most of which were discovered in situ. Adjoining the forum on the W lay a basilica (68 x 32 m) with a single nave and aisles on three sides. The columns were 6 m high. Some of these still stand with their capitals, which were of the Corinthian order. At the N end of the nave is a half-rounded niche with four benches.

The building in its present state dates from the 2d c. A.D., but there were also traces of an earlier basilica, of Gabinian or Herodian construction.

Under the S part of the forum was an acqueduct, bringing water from springs in the hills to the E of the city.

To the SE of the city a mausoleum of the Roman period was discovered. It is 5.5 m square and built of ashlar, with a single chamber inside (3.3 m square). Two sarcophagi in niches in the walls and five others standing on the floor were found. The building had a dome, which rose to the height of 5 m above the floor. In the portico in front of the mausoleum were placed two beautifully decorated sarcophagi. The mausoleum is dated to the late 2d or early 3d c. A.D. Other tombs were discovered to the E of the city, outside the walls.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

G. A. Reisner et al., Harvard Excavations at Samaria (1908-10) I-II (1924); J. W. Crowfoot et al., The Buildings of Samaria (1942); id., et al., The Objects from Samaria (1957).

A. NEGEV