Jews

How the Spoils of Jerusalem and Jewish Forced Labor Helped Build the Colosseum

Rome—just the name conjures images of strength, might, and architectural marvels. But among its most iconic structures, the Colosseum, a true monument of ancient engineering, hides a story that goes far deeper than gladiator fights, Christian martyrs, and imperial spectacles....

Did Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persia, Really Exist?

The Bible contains a story of how a young Jewish woman named Esther became the Queen of Persia and saved the Jews from an intended massacre. This is the background to the Festival of Purim, which the Jews still...

How Philosopher Philon Bridged Hellenism, Judaism and Christianity

Philo of Alexandria (Φίλων ο Αλεξανδρεύς), a philosopher contemporary of Jesus, was one of the most important intellectual figures of the ancient world, influencing Christians and Jews with the ideas of Hellenism. Philo (c. 20 BC–50 AD), a Hellenistic Jewish...

King Cyrus, the First and Only Foreign Messiah of the Ancient Jews

The concept of the Messiah is something that pervades the ancient holy writings of the Jews. The Messiah was a foretold savior of mankind, and Christians identify him with Jesus. However, before Jesus, the Bible reveals that there was...

When the Ancient Persians Freed the Jews From Babylon

The first interaction between the Jews and the Persians (the ancient Iranians) was a profoundly important and beneficial one. This initial interaction between the two nations was not a battle. Rather, the Persians freed the Jews from captivity in...

Heinz Kounio, the Last Auschwitz Survivor of Thessaloniki Passes Away

Heinz Kounio, the last remaining survivor of the first "death train" from Thessaloniki to Auschwitz, has passed away at the age of 98. His departure marks the end of a living chapter for the Jewish community of Thessaloniki. In March...

Moses of Crete: The ‘Messiah’ Who Promised to Part the Sea and Led Hundreds to Death

After the Bar Kokhba revolt, a failed uprising against the Roman Empire that would later help set the stage for figures like the Moses of Crete, most messianic movements within Judaism largely disappeared. However, religious hope endured. Across the Jewish...

How Tall Was Jesus?

The Bible does not provide us with any detailed physical description of Jesus. Yet, many people understandably wonder what he looked like. Given the limited amount of evidence available, what can be reasonably deduced about how tall Jesus was? Why...

Greece’s Karia Railway Station Illuminates Hidden Holocaust History

In a pivotal move to preserve a lesser-known chapter of the Holocaust in Greece, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture has assumed control of the railway station and surrounding grounds of Karia (also spelled as Karya) in Fthiotida, Central Greece. The...

Oldest Synagogue Outside Israel Found on Delos, the Sacred Greek Island

The oldest known synagogue outside Israel was located on the Greek island of Delos—known as the island of the god Apollo in the Cyclades—and attests to the presence of a Jewish community. Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37-100 AD) mentioned the...