Beth Maʿon | |
Location | |
---|---|
Region | Lower Galilee |
Coordinates | 32°47′40″N 35°32′00″E / 32.79444°N 35.53333°E |
Type | village (ruin) |
History | |
Periods | Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine |
Cultures | Jewish |
Associated with | Jews |
Bethmaus, (Greek: Βηθμαούς) or Beth Maʿon (Hebrew: בית מעון), also called Maon, was a Jewish village during the late Second Temple and Mishnaic periods, and which was already a ruin (Tell Maʿūn) when Kitchener visited the site in 1877.[1][2] It was situated upon the hill, directly north-west of the old city of Tiberias, at a distance of one biblical mile,[3] rising to an elevation of 250 metres (820 ft) above sea-level. It is now incorporated within the modern city bounds of Upper Tiberias. The remaining structure built over the site is a Sheikh's Tomb.[4]
Others place the ancient Bethmaus (Ma'on) where is now the Arab ruin, Khirbet Nadhr ad-Din, saying that with the passing of time, the old namesake was transferred to Tell Maʿūn, a short distance away.[5]
The Midrash (Genesis Rabba § 85:7) says of the village, "Beth Maʿon, they ascend to it from Tiberias, but they go down to it from Kefar Shobtai."[6][7] The Jerusalem Talmud, citing a variant account, says that they would go down to Beth Maʿon from its broad place.[8]
Yitzhaki1978
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