Course Descriptions

ONLINE HIST 5/333 Biblical Jerusalem and Its Exploration - Credit Hours: 3

Semester normally offered: Fall

Course Description

This class is an introduction to Jerusalem during key periods in its ancient history, including the eras of the Canaanite city, David and Solomon, Hezekiah and Manasseh, Jeremiah, Ezra and Nehemiah, the Hasmoneans, Herod the Great and Jesus, the Apostles, and the Jewish War against the Romans. Jerusalem’s geography and rich archaeological history, as well as maps, photos, and accounts of travelers and local Jerusalemites will aid our study of the city. This course will also explore the history of modern scholarship on ancient Jerusalem, along with the contexts and assumptions in which it developed.

Previously offered as Contexts of the Holy City.

Course Equivalencies

• History
• Bible
• Archaeology

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

• understand and illustrate the important geographical features of Jerusalem;
• establish the character and extent of Jerusalem during key biblical periods;
• trace highlights of the exploration of the Holy City from the 19th century until today;
• understand and evaluate traditions related to Jerusalem’s biblical past; and
• ground the reading of biblical texts related to Jerusalem within a detailed understanding of the historic city.

Field Study