Posted on 04/02/2008 1:47:05 PM PDT by decimon
Dr. Oded Lipschits, from Tel Aviv Universitys Department of Archaeology, directs Ramat Rachel, an archaeological dig two miles from the Old City of Jerusalem. Until now archaeologists believed the site was a palace of an ancient Judean king, probably King Hezekiah, who built it around 700 BCE.
But evidence points to foreign rule, says Dr. Lipschits, who believes the site was likely an ancient local administrative center a branch office of Assyrian rulers. "They were wise rulers," he says, "using a good strategy for keeping control, stability and order in the region.
As today's corporations know well, the strategy was all about location. Explains Lipschits, Between 700 BCE to about 70 CE, Jerusalem was home to various Judean cults and at times a center for religious fanaticism. The Assyrians understood that they could gain better control of their vassal kingdom and continue collecting taxes by maintaining a safe distance.
Where did they set up their branch offices? In the "suburbs." The Assyrians built their economic hub for the region two miles south of Jerusalem at Ramat Rachel. They created elaborate gardens, stocked their cellars with the wine and olive oil they collected in taxes, and quietly but carefully monitored Jerusalem.
You can see Jerusalem from Ramat Rachel, but when youre inside Jerusalems City of David, you cant see Ramat Rachel at all, says Lipschits. The Assyrians kept a watchful eye, but didnt let the locals feel a dominant foreign presence.
It was smart for the Assyrian managers to take a few steps back, and not appear to be interfering with the citys religious center and local culture. Businesses today could be advised to adopt similar strategies with their branch offices in foreign locations, he surmises.
Lipschits is currently writing a book about this precursor to today's corporate strategies with Boston Colleges Prof. David S. Vanderhooft. He is also the author of the popular book The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem (Eisenbrauns 2005).
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For more about Ramat Rachel, please visit: http://www.tau.ac.il/~rmtrachl/index.html.
American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israels largest and most comprehensive center of higher learning. It is ranked among the worlds top 100 universities in science, biomedical studies, and social science, and rated one of the worlds top 200 universities overall. Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research programs, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
Imperialist ping.
Never doubt a man named Lipschits!
Uh...so the answer is probably "yes"...
Hmmmm......
So then, you agree with Billthedrill?
bump for later read about the site
And he kept the tips. Whatever that meant at that time.
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Thanks decimon.Jerusalem was home to various Judean cults and at times a center for religious fanaticism.That's so unlike the Assyrians/Akkadians, Babylonians, and others, who spent a few thousand years demolishing each other's cities and stripping rival temples to aggrandize their own cults. Oh wait... |
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A good a guess as any.
Uhh...I'm not seeing that. Judea is/was a region and 'Judean cults' might refer to anything. And I wouldn't think the source to be anti-semitic.
I saw what you did when I read the article and I either wouldn't have posted this or would have with comment if I'd seen bigotry in it. Of course, I could be wrong.
“Never doubt a man named Lipschits!”
Especially if his a%$ whistles!!
Mongol General: What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.
:’) Hey, I said it was otherwise a good article. ;’) It was a bit surprising to see them portrayed as just some highly sophisticated, urbane, polished bulwarks of civilization just trying their best to administer a bunch of backward superstitious savages. The Assyrians “burned with fire” at least one city when they were conquering Israel, and carted off the “ten lost tribes”. But I may have overstated my case, eh? :’D
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