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{{short description|Ancient Jewish citytown in the Golan Heights, destroyed during the Great Jewish Revolt}}
{{About|the ancient city|the Syrian village near the Golan Heights|Jamla|Stockholm's ''Old Town''|Gamla stan}}
{{Infobox ancient site
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'''Gamla''', alt. sp. '''Gamala''' ({{lang-he|גַּמְלָא}}, {{literal translation}} the camel), also '''Gamala''', was an ancient [[Jews|Jewish]] citytown on the [[Golan Heights]]. It is believedBelieved to have been founded as a [[Seleucid]] fort during the [[Syrian Wars]], which wasit turnedtransitioned into a citypredominantly Jewish settlement that came under [[Hasmonean dynasty|Hasmonean rule]] rule in 81 BCE.<ref name=AndreaBerlin/><ref Duringname=":3" the/> [[FirstThe Jewish–Romantown's War|Greatname Revolt]],reflects itits becamelocation anon importanta strongholdhigh, forelongated rebelsridge andwith becausesteep ofslopes this Gamla isresembling a symbol for the modern state of Israel and an important historical and archaeologicalcamel's sitehump.<ref name=evidence/":1">{{Cite Itbook lies|last1=Joyce within|first1=Marilyn the|title=Handbook currentof [[GamlaSynagogue natureArchitecture reserve]]|last2=Segal and|last3=Chiat is|publisher=Brown aUniversity prominent|year=1982 tourist|isbn=0-89130-524-6 attraction.|series=Brown Judaic Studies |volume=28 |pages=282–283}}</ref>
 
Gamla served as a key rebel stronghold during the [[First Jewish–Roman War|Great Jewish Revolt]] against [[Roman Empire|Rome]]. In the summer of 67 CE, after an extended siege and battle, Roman forces under [[Vespasian]] ultimately captured the town and massacred its inhabitants.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Rogers |first=Guy MacLean |title=For the Freedom of Zion: the Great Revolt of Jews against Romans, 66-74 CE |date=2021 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-24813-5 |location=New Haven |pages=252, 258-259, 537}}</ref> The Jewish historian [[Josephus]], who accompanied the Roman army, provides detailed accounts of these events in his work, "[[The Jewish War]]."<ref>''Gamla III (1)''. p. 12</ref>
 
The remains of Gamla were discovered in the 1968 survey of the Golan,<ref name=":1" /> with geographical features matching Josephus' descriptions.<ref name=":2">{{Citation |last=Aviam |first=Mordechai |title=The archaeological illumination of Josephus' narrative of the battles at Yodefat and Gamla |date=2007-01-01 |work=Making History |pages=373 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789047409069/Bej.9789004150089.i-471_020.xml |access-date=2024-06-06 |publisher=Brill |language=en |doi=10.1163/ej.9789004150089.i-471.126 |isbn=978-90-474-0906-9}}</ref> Located approximately 10 kilometers inland from the [[Sea of Galilee]],<ref name=":1" /> the town was built on the southeastern slope of Mount Gamla.<ref name=":2" /> Archaeological excavations, starting in 1970 and continuing periodically, have unearthed city walls enclosing an area of about 180 dunams, a water conduit system, [[Mikveh|ritual baths]], Herodian lamps, [[Stone vessels in ancient Judaea|stone vessels]], and thousands of [[Hasmonean coinage|Hasmonean coins]].<ref name="evidence" /><ref name="YA" /> One of the earliest [[Gamla Synagogue|synagogues]] in the [[Land of Israel]], believed to date back to the late 1st century BCE, was discovered near the town wall in 1976.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="YUP" />
 
Due to its historical significance during the revolt, Gamla is a symbol for the modern state of Israel and an important archaeological site.<ref name="evidence" /> It is located within the [[Gamla nature reserve|Gamla Nature Reserve]] and serves as a prominent tourist attraction. The site features ruins available for visitation and is home to various wildlife, including [[Rock hyrax|rock hyraxes]], wild boars, and numerous species of [[Raptor (bird)|raptors]].<ref name=":6" />
[[File:Gamla on map.jpg|thumb|upright|Gamla under the [[Hasmonean dynasty|Hasmonean Kingdom]]]]
[[File:Sea of Galilee seen from Gamla.jpg|thumb|Prospect of the Sea of Galilee as seen from the mountain top ruin of Gamla]]
==History==
Situated at the southern part of the Golan, overlooking the [[Sea of Galilee]], Gamla was built on a steep hill shaped like a camel's hump, from which it derives its name.<ref name=":1" /> (''Gamla'' meaning 'the camel' in [[Aramaic]]).{{cn|date=September 2022}}
 
===Early history===
Archaeological excavations have shown that in the place of Gamla there was already a settlement in the [[Early Bronze Age]]. The settlement was probably agricultural, as archaeologists have found evidence of long-term use of flint sickles. Some of the findings even go back to the [[Copper Age]].{{cn|date=September 2022}}
 
The hill of Gamla remained largely uninhabited from the end of the Early Bronze Age II until the Hellenistic period.<ref>''Gamla III (1)''. p. 3</ref>
The site became host to a Seleucid fort during the Syrian Wars (3rd century BCE),<ref name=AndreaBerlin /> before later developing into a civilian settlement from the last quarter of the 2nd century BCE. In 81 BCE, it became a part of the [[Hasmonean]] state,<ref>[[#JosephusA|Josephus, ''Antiquities of the Jews'']] 13, 394.</ref> according to [[Josephus]], in ''[[The Jewish War]]'' after [[Alexander Jannaeus]] captured it from the Seleucid ruler [[Demetrius III Eucaerus|Demetrius Eucaerus]].▼
 
In [[Rabbinic literature]], Gamla is listed among the "walled towns from the time of [[Joshua]]." This inclusion could have been influenced by the remains of the Early Bronze Age wall, which were still visible during the [[Second Temple period]].<ref>''Gamla III (1)''. p. 2–3</ref>
The city became famous for producing high-quality [[olive oil]]. It was actively developed during the reign of [[Herod the Great]], and later became a dispute between [[Herod Antipas]] and [[Nabatean]] King [[Aretas IV Philopatris]].{{cn|date=September 2022}}▼
 
=== Hellenistic and Hasmonean periods ===
▲The site became host to a [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid]] fort during the [[Syrian Wars]] (3rd century BCE),<ref name=AndreaBerlin /> before later developing into a civilian settlement from the last quarter of the 2nd century BCE. In 81 BCE, it became a part of the [[Hasmonean]] state,<ref>[[#JosephusA|Josephus, ''Antiquities of the Jews'']] 13, 394.</ref> according to [[Josephus]], in ''[[The Jewish War]]'' after [[Alexander Jannaeus]] captured it from the Seleucid ruler [[Demetrius III Eucaerus|Demetrius Eucaerus]].<ref name=":3">''Gamla III (1)''. p. 4</ref>
 
Scholarly consensus places Jewish settlement in the Golan region, including Gamla, as a consequence of Jannaeus' conquests. The town's name, "Gamla" (Hebrew: גמלא), with a final alef, may suggest [[Aramaic]]-speaking Jewish inhabitants, possibly post-exilic returnees from [[Babylonian captivity]]. However, an alternative spelling used in the [[Jerusalem Talmud]], גמלה, with a final he, may contradict this.<ref name=":3" />
 
Syon suggests textual and archaeological evidence indicate a Jewish presence in Gamla antedating Jannaeus. This Jewish-majority civilian population likely emerged during the last quarter of the second century BCE, under [[John Hyrcanus]], gradually settling at Gamla alongside a possibly remaining garrison.<ref name=":3" />
 
===Roman period===
▲The city became famous for producing high-quality [[olive oil]]. It was actively developed during the reign of [[Herod the Great]], and later becamewas a disputedisputed area between [[Herod Antipas]] and [[Nabatean]] King [[Aretas IV Philopatris]].{{cn|date=September 2022}}
[[Josephus Flavius]], Commander of [[Galilee]] during the [[First Jewish-Roman War|Jewish Revolt]] against Rome, in 66 CE fortified Gamla as his main stronghold on the [[Golan]].<ref>[[#JosephusB|Josephus, ''The Wars of the Jews'']] 2, 574.</ref> Josephus gives a very detailed topographical description of the city, which he also referred to as ''Gamala'',<ref>BibleWalks.com, [http://www.biblewalks.com/sites/Gamla.html Gamla], accessed 12 December 2015</ref> and the steep ravines which precluded the need to build a wall around it. Only along the northern saddle, at the town's eastern extremity, was a 350 meters-long wall built. It was constructed by blocking gaps between existing houses and destroying houses that lay in its way.<ref name=aviam/><ref name=rocca1/>▼
 
=== Great Jewish revolt ===
Gamla gained historical significance during the [[First Jewish–Roman War|Great Jewish Revolt]] against Rome as a major rebel stronghold. Initially loyal to the Romans, Gamla turned rebellious under the influence of refugees from other locations.,<ref name="evidence" /> Itafter wasPhilip, oneson of onlyYakim, fiveone cities in theof [[Galilee]]Herod andAgrippa GolanII|Agrippa which stood against [[VespasianII]]'s legionsgenerals, reflectingleft the cooperationtown. betweenA theman localnamed populationJoseph, andson of the rebelsmidwife, persuaded the town's elders to revolt.<ref name=rocca2":4">''Gamla III (1)''. p. 11</ref> AtThe town grew as it became a haven for refugees fleeing the timeRoman advance in Galilee. Archaeological evidence, such as hearths and storage jars, confirms the presence of a large population. During the revolt, the town minted its own coins, probablylikely more as a means of propaganda than as currency.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Popovic |first1=Mladen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tmCWlYQDrOoC&pg=PA368 |title=The Jewish Revolt Against Rome: Interdisciplinary Perspectives |date=2001 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-9004216686 |page=368|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tmCWlYQDrOoC&pg=PA368}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Syon |first1=Danny |title=Tyre and Gamla: A Study in the Monetary Inlfluence of Southern Phoenicia on Galilee and the Golan in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods |date=2004 |publisher=Hebrew University|date=2004}}</ref> BearingThese coins, bearing the inscription "For the redemption of Jerusalem the H(oly)" in a mixture of paleo-Hebrew (biblical) and Aramaic, onlyhave 6been offound thesein coinsonly have eversix been foundinstances.<ref name="evidence" />▼
 
▲According to [[Josephus |Flavius Josephus]], Commanderwho served as the commander of [[Galilee]] during the [[Firstearly Jewish-Romanphases War|Jewishof Revolt]]the against Romerevolt, in 66 CEhe fortified Gamla asby hisbuilding maina strongholdcity on the [[Golan]]wall.<ref>[[Gamla#JosephusB|Josephus, ''The Wars of the Jews'']] 2, 574.</ref><ref>''Gamla III (1)''. p. 14</ref> Josephus gives a very detailed topographical description of the city, which he also referred to as ''Gamala'',<ref>BibleWalks.com, [http://www.biblewalks.com/sites/Gamla.html Gamla], accessed 12 December 2015</ref> and the steep ravines which precluded the need to build a wall around it. Only along the northern saddle, at the town's eastern extremity, was a 350 metersmeter-long wall built. It was constructed by blocking gaps between existing houses and destroying houses that lay in its way.<ref name="aviam" /><ref name="rocca1" /> It was one of only five cities in the [[Galilee]] and Golan that stood against [[Vespasian]]'s legions, reflecting the cooperation between the local population and the rebels.<ref name="rocca2" />
▲Initially loyal to the Romans, Gamla turned rebellious under the influence of refugees from other locations.<ref name=evidence/> It was one of only five cities in the [[Galilee]] and Golan which stood against [[Vespasian]]'s legions, reflecting the cooperation between the local population and the rebels.<ref name=rocca2/> At the time of the revolt, the town minted its own coins, probably more as a means of propaganda than as currency.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Popovic|first1=Mladen|title=The Jewish Revolt Against Rome: Interdisciplinary Perspectives|date=2001|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-9004216686|page=368|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tmCWlYQDrOoC&pg=PA368}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Syon|first1=Danny|title=Tyre and Gamla: A Study in the Monetary Inlfluence of Southern Phoenicia on Galilee and the Golan in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods|publisher=Hebrew University|date=2004}}</ref> Bearing the inscription "For the redemption of Jerusalem the H(oly)" in a mixture of paleo-Hebrew (biblical) and Aramaic, only 6 of these coins have ever been found.<ref name=evidence/>
 
The city sustained the first seven-month siege, which was organized in 66 CE by [[Herod Agrippa II]]. On October 12, 67 CE a total of about 60 thousand soldiers under the command of Vespasian began a second siege.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Aune|first1=David E.|title=Gamla|url=http://www3.nd.edu/~daune/near_east_arch/gamla/gamla.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503142554/http://www3.nd.edu/~daune/near_east_arch/gamla/gamla.htm|archive-date=2013-05-03}}</ref> The inhabitants of the city, including armed rebels, were, according to Josephus, only 9,000 people. Kenneth Atkinson calls this number clearly exaggerated. Nevertheless, DaniDanny ZionSyon writes that before the siege Gamla became a refuge city, into which both insurgents from all over the Galilee and residents of the surrounding villages flocked. There were not enough places in the city, and even the [[Gamla Synagogue|city synagogue]] was adapted to accommodate refugees.{{cn|date<ref name=September":4" 2022}}/>
 
The seizure of the city was of fundamental importance to Vespasian. According to the existing strategy, it was necessary to seize and suppress all the centers of resistance along the route, however small. In addition, the Jews expected, albeit unreasonably, the possible assistance of fellow[[Jews of believersBabylonia|Jews from [[BabylonBabylonia]] and the military intervention of [[Parthian Empire|Parthia]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Syon|first1=D|title='City of Refuge': The Archeological Evidence of the Revolt at Gamla|url=https://www.academia.edu/360711}}</ref> Although Josephus, who led the consolidation of the defense of Gamla, describes it as a fortress, archaeological findings show that in fact the walls were constructed in fragments, filling in the gaps between buildings to create a continuous line of fortifications.
 
Josephus also provides a detailed description of the Roman siege and conquest of Gamla in 67 CE by components of legions [[Legio X Fretensis|X ''Fretensis'']], [[Legio XV Apollinaris|XV ''Apollinaris'']] and [[Legio V Macedonica|V ''Macedonica'']].<ref name=josephus>[[#JosephusB|Josephus, ''The Wars of the Jews'']] 4, 1-83.</ref> The Romans first attempted to take the city by means of a siege ramp, but were repulsed by the defenders. Only on the second attempt did the Romans succeed in breaching the walls at three different locations and invading the city. They then engaged the Jewish defenders in hand-to-hand combat up the steep hill. Fighting in the cramped streets from an inferior position, the Roman soldiers attempted to defend themselves from the roofs. These subsequently collapsed under the heavy weight, killing many soldiers<ref name=aviam/> and forcing a Roman retreat. The legionnaires re-entered the town a few days later, eventually beatingovercoming Jewish resistance and completing the capture of Gamla.<ref name=rocca3/>
 
Gamla is often compared with the more famous story of the fortress of [[Masada]], where the defenders, not wanting to surrender to the Romans, committed suicide. Sometimes Gamla is even called the "Northern Masada" or "Masada Golan." However, Dani Zion emphasizes that Masada was a fortress, originally built as a fortification facility, where several hundred families of rebels were hiding and where there was no battle as such. Gamla, onin the other handcontrast, was a city where fortification was carried out in connection with military operations and where real heavy fighting took place before theits capture and destruction. According to Josephus, some 4,000 inhabitants were slaughtered, while 5,000, trying to escape down the steep northern slope, were either were trampled to death, fell or perhaps threw themselves down a ravine.<ref name=josephus/> These numbers appear to be exaggerated and the number of inhabitants on the eve of the revolt has been estimated at 3,000–4,000.<ref name=weiss/>
 
==Identification==
[[File:Gamla – Ballista model (2).JPG|thumb|Reconstruction of the Roman Ballista]]
The [[Israel Antiquities Authority]] has, of late,{{When|date=July 2024}} taken the position that the ancient site of Gamla is to be identified with the site known as ''Tell es Salām'' (shown on map) which, itself, is a corruption of the Arabic word, ''es-Sanām'' (the hump).<ref>Danny Syon, [http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_eng.aspx?sec_id=17&subj_id=296&id=509 Identification of Gamla], [[Israel Antiquities Authority]].</ref> In previous years, the site had been identified with ''Tell ed-Drāʿ'', a place ca. {{convert|20|km|mi|sp=us}} east of Lake Tiberias in the [[Ruqqad]] river-bed, based on Konrad Furrer's identification of the site in 1889.<ref>The identification of Gamla with ''Tell ed-Drāʿ'' was mainly based on the similarity of the old name with that of the nearby village called ''Gamle'' (''al-Jamlah'', Syria), and on the shape of the spur which resembles a camel. For a discussion on this dispute, see Bezalel Bar-Kochva, ''Gamla in Gaulanitis'', pub. in: Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins, Bd. 92, H. 1 (1976), pp. 54-71 (English), who presents arguments in favor of the priority of the earlier identification; (see: {{cite journal |last=Bar-Kochva |first=Bezalel |title=Gamla in Gaulanitis |journal=Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins |volume=92|issue=1 |pages=54–71 |jstor=27931028 |date=1976 }}).</ref> It was only properly identified in 1968 by surveyor Itzhaki Gal, after the Israeli conquest of the Golan Heights during the [[Six-Day War]].<ref name=kinneret/> The site ''Tell es Salām'' was excavated by [[Shmarya Guttman]] and Danny Syon on behalf of the Israeli [[Israeli Antiquities Authority|Department of Antiquities]] between 1977 and 2000. The excavations have uncovered 7.5 dunnams, about 5% of the site, revealing a typical Jewish city featuring [[mikveh|ritual baths]], Herodian lamps, limestone cups and thousands of Hasmonean coins.<ref name=evidence/><ref name="YA">{{cite book|last1=Arbel|first1=Yoav|title=Ultimate Devotion: The Historical Impact and Archaeological Expression of Intense Religious Movements|date=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1845532260|page=126|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8JTCBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA126}}</ref> Additional excavations were carried out on the site in 2008 and 2010, by Haim Ben David and David Adan-Bayewitz on behalf of [[Bar Ilan University]]'s Land of Israel Studies Department, and by Danny Syon on behalf of the [[Israel Antiquities Authority]] (IAA).<ref>[[Israel Antiquities Authority]], [http://www.antiquities.org.il/m_digs_eng.aspx?shana=2008 Excavators and Excavations Permit for Year 2008], Survey Permit # G-79; [http://www.antiquities.org.il/m_digs_eng.aspx?shana=2010 Excavators and Excavations Permit for Year 2010], Survey Permit # G-69</ref>
 
With the destruction of the town by the Roman army, Gamla was abandoned, never to be rebuilt. Archaeological excavations there have revealed widespread evidence for the battle that took place at the site. About 100 [[catapult]] bolts have been uncovered, as well as 1,600 arrowheads and 2,000 [[ballista]] stones, the latter all made from local [[basalt]]. This is a quantity unsurpassed anywhere in the Roman Empire.<ref name=evidence/> Most were collected along and in close proximity to the wall, placing the heavy fighting in the vicinity and the Roman siegecraft to the north east of the town. Next to a heavy concentration of the stones, the excavators have identified a man-made breach in the wall, probably made by a battering ram.<ref name=evidence/><ref name=aviam/>
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==Archaeological finds==
[[File:Gamla – Breach in the Wall (3).JPG|thumb|Break in the fortress wall]]
Archaeological finds in Gamla provided historians with a unique opportunity to study Jewish life at the end of the [[Second Temple period]]. In particular, studies prove that, although the active development of the Golan began under Alexander Jannaeus, the Jews began to settle here much earlier - at least in the second century BCE. This is shown by the large number of coins of the period of the reign of [[John Hyrcanus]]. In addition to coins, a large number of weapons were found in Gamla, a [[Gamla Synagogue|synagogue]] of the Second Temple period, various ritual objects, many different household items and jewelry.{{cn|date=September 2022}}
 
About 200 artifacts excavated at Gamla have been identified as the remains of Roman army equipment. These include parts of Roman [[lorica segmentata]], an officer's helmet visor and cheek-guard, bronze scales of another type of armor, as well as Roman identification tags.<ref name=evidence/><ref name=aviam/>
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===Coins===
6,314 ancient coins were also found in Gamla, including unique coins of its own coinage. Most of them (6,164) were found during 14 seasons of excavation under the guidance of Gutman (1976-19891976–1989), 24 during conservation and restoration work in 1990–1991, and the remaining 126 during the four seasons of excavations conducted by Dani Zion and Zvi Yabur in the years 1997–2000. Another 153 coins from Gamla were subsequently found in the collection by the kibbutz [[Sasa, Israel|Sasa]].<ref name="YA" /> Among the found coins:
 
{| class="wikitable"
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Shmaryahu Gutman wrote:
 
{{quote|quote=I did not understand what moved the defenders of the fortress, until we found a coin minted in the besieged city, on which it was written: "Deliverance to Holy Jerusalem." The defenders of the city believed that by stopping the enemy on the Golan, they would save the Eternal City ... Having conquered Gamla, the Romans went to Jerusalem, and after three years of siege the Eternal City fell.<ref name="coin">{{cite web|last1=Yavor|first1=Zvi|title=לגאלת ירושלים הקדושה|url=http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_heb.aspx?sec_id=17&subj_id=296&id=504|websitepublisher=Israel Antiquities Authority}}</ref>}}
 
===Synagogue===
[[File:Gamla Synagogue (2).JPG|thumb|Gamla synagogue.]]One of the world's earliest known synagogues was discovered in Gamla, and is believed to date back to the late 1st century BCE.<ref name="YUP">{{cite book|last1=Levine|first1=Lee|title=The Ancient Synagogue: The First Thousand Years|date=2005|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0300106282|page=54|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ke5pM7EryagC&pg=PA54}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Richardson |first=Peter |title=Pre-70 Synagogues as Collegia in Rome, the Diaspora, and Judea |date=2004-01-01 |work=Building Jewish in the Roman East |pages=126 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789047406501/B9789047406501_s012.xml |access-date=2024-04-03 |publisher=Brill |language=en |doi=10.1163/9789047406501_012 |isbn=978-90-474-0650-1}}</ref><ref name="weiss" /> It is possibly the oldest synagogue found in [[Judaea (Roman province)|Judaea]].<ref name=":0" /> Situated within the city's walls, this synagogue, constructed from dressed stone,<ref name="YUP" /> features a main hall measuring 22 by 17 meters. It is characterized by pillared aisles<ref name="YUP" /> and a surrounding [[Doric order|Doric]] colonnade, with heart-shaped corner columns. Entry to the synagogue was through twin doors located on the southwest side.<ref name=rocca1/> A [[mikvah|ritual bath]] was unearthed next to it.<ref name=weiss/>
[[File:Gamla Synagogue (2).JPG|thumb|Gamla synagogue.]]
 
The remains of one of the earliest [[Palestinian synagogues|synagogues]] is situated inside the city walls.<ref name="YUP">{{cite book|last1=Levine|first1=Lee|title=The Ancient Synagogue: The First Thousand Years|date=2005|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0300106282|page=54|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ke5pM7EryagC&pg=PA54}}</ref> It was built of dressed stone with pillared aisles.<ref name="YUP" /> Measuring 22 by 17 meters, its main hall was surrounded by a [[Doric order|Doric]] colonnade, its corner columns were heart-shaped, and it was entered by twin doors at the south west.<ref name=rocca1/> A [[mikvah|ritual bath]] was unearthed next to it.<ref name=weiss/> On the eve of Gamla's destruction, the synagogue appears to have been converted to a dwelling for refugees, as testified by a number of meager fireplaces and large quantities of cookpots and storage jars found along its northern wall. Situated next to the city wall, 157 ballista stones were collected from the synagogue's hall alone and 120 arrowheads from its vicinity.<ref name=evidence/> The synagogue is thought to date from the late 1st century BCE and is among the [[oldest synagogues in the world]].<ref name=weiss/><ref name=binder/>
On the eve of Gamla's destruction, the synagogue appears to have been converted to a dwelling for refugees, as testified by a number of meager fireplaces and large quantities of cookpots and storage jars found along its northern wall. Situated next to the city wall, 157 ballista stones were collected from the synagogue's hall alone and 120 arrowheads from its vicinity.<ref name="evidence" />
 
The chronology of the synagogue was challenged by Ma'oz in 2012. His interpretation is that it was built about 50 CE and a ''miqveh'' was added in 67 CE. The earlier "miqveh" was, in Ma'oz' understanding, a water cistern.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Zvi Uri Ma'oz | title = Four notes on the excavations at Gamala | year = 2012 | volume = 39 | pages = 230–237 | journal = Tel Aviv}}</ref>
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==See also==
*[[Ancient synagogues in the Palestine region]] - covers entire [[Palestine region]]/[[Land of Israel]]
**[[Ancient synagogues in Israel]] - covers the modern [[State of Israel]]
*[[First Jewish Revolt coinage]]
*[[Herodium]]
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{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=AndreaBerlin>[[#Revolt|Berlin and Overman (2002)]], p. 152</ref>
<!-- <ref name=binder>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pohick.org/sts/photo.html|first=Donald D|last=Binder|title=Ancient Synagogues - Gamla|access-date=October 16, 2010}}</ref> -->
<ref name=evidence>{{cite web|url=http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_Item_eng.asp?module_id=&sec_id=17&subj_id=296&id=508|title=Gamla - The Archaeological Evidence of the Revolt at Gamla|last=Syon|first=Danny|publisher=[[Israel Antiquities Authority]]|access-date=October 16, 2010}}</ref>
<ref name=kinneret>{{Cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/993351.html|first=Eli|last=Ashkenazi|title=What are the mysterious stones emerging from Kinneret waters?|publisher=Haaretz|date=June 17, 2008|access-date=October 16, 2010}}</ref>
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*<cite id=JosephusB> Josephus, Flavius. William Whiston, A.M., translator (1895). ''[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0148 The Works of Flavius Josephus – The Wars of the Jews]''. Auburn and Buffalo, New York: John E. Beardsley. Retrieved 16 October 2010.</cite>
*<cite id=Rocca2008>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gup5vH_B-aoC|last=Rocca|first=Samuel|year=2008|title=The Forts of Judaea 168 BC – AD 73|location=Oxford, United Kingdom|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-84603-171-7|ref=Revolt}}</cite>
*<cite id=Syon2014>{{Cite book|url=https://www.academia.edu/download/49545640/Syon_2014_A_History_of_Gamla.pdf|last=Syon|first=Danny|year=2014|title=Gamla III: The Shmarya Gutmann Excavations, 1976–1989. Finds and Studies|location=Jerusalem|publisher=Israel Antiquities Authority Reports, No. 56|volume=1|isbn= 978-965-406-503-0|ref=GAMLAIII}}</cite>
 
==External links==
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*[https://wysinfo.com/vultures-of-gamla/ Vultures of Gamla]
*[http://segulamag.com/en/articles/romans-roofs-gamla/ Romans on the Roofs of Gamla] on Segula Jewish History magazine website
{{First Jewish–Roman War|state=expanded}}
{{Towns depopulated during the First Jewish–Roman War}}
{{Ancient synagogues|state=collapsed}}
 
[[Category:Jews and Judaism in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Ancient Jewish settlements of the Golan Heights]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites on the Golan Heights]]
[[Category:Classical sites on the Golan Heights]]
[[Category:Former populated places onin the Golan Heights]]
[[Category:Establishments in the Seleucid Empire]]
[[Category:Israel National Heritage Site]]
[[Category:First Jewish–Roman War]]
[[Category:Mountain monuments and memorials]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 3rd century BC]]
[[Category:60s disestablishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Tells (archaeology)]]
[[Category:Herod the Great]]
[[Category:Herod Antipas]]
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