Posted by PS on October 03, 2005 at 21:58:21:
In Reply to: rock on.... posted by giveawayboy on October 03, 2005 at 04:06:59:
: Steve, Can you give us a nutshell statement about why Petra is significant to bible scholars?
Next door neighbor to Israel for centuries. Understanding the middle east means understanding all the nations that interacted with each other and affected each other.
Herod the Great's mother was a Nabatean princess. Shortly after being set up in power by the Romans, Herod beat the Nabateans in battle, actually, twice, I remember. His son Herod Antipas of Galilee had a conflict with them too. Reason: When Antipas took his brother Herod Philip's wife (the niece of them both, I think?), he displaced his former wife, whom I believe was also a Nabatean princess. You will remember that Antipas was the one who beheaded John Baptist at the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias. There's a lot more, of course, but these are the things that come to mind. If I am remembering any of them wrongly, let me know...
Oh yeah, the apocalyptics believe Petra is where the Israelites will flee to when all hell breaks loose in the end time. They take the vision in Rev. about fleeing into the desert to mean Petra, and they take the time to be, well, of course, sometime in the next few weeks, as always. ;-)
Here are some good sites for info:
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Anthropology/Petra/excavations/history.html
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/petra/
http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/tourism6d.html
These are more historical, including Josephus excerpts:
http://www.livius.org/jo-jz/josephus/fj02.html
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/petra/0379020677.html