The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

CHAP. LXXIII. Of the situation of Tiberias. (Book 73)

WHEN I read Pliny of the situation of this City, and compare some things, which are said by Josephus and the Talmudists, with him, I cannot but be at a stand, what to resolve upon here. Pliny thus of the situation of it: a 1.1 The lake (of Genesar) is compassed round with pleasant Towns: on the East Julias and Hippo, on the South Tarichea, by which name some call the lake also, on the West Tiberias, healthful for its warm waters.

Consult the Maps, and you see Tiberias in them seated as it were in the middle shore of the Sea of Genesaret, equally distant almost from the utmost South and North coasts of that Sea. Which seems well indeed to agree with Pliny, but illy with Josephus and his Countrymen.

I. Josephus asserts, that Hippo (in Perea, i. e. the Country on the other side Jordan) is distant from Tiberias only thirty furlongs. For speaking to one Justus a man of Tiberias, thus he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. b 1.2 The native Country, O Justus, lying upon the Lake of Gennesaret, and distant from Hippo thirty furlongs, &c. The same Author asserts also (which we pro∣duced before) c 1.3 that the bredth of the Sea of Genesaret was forty furlongs. Therefore with what reason do the Maps place the whole Sea of Gennesaret between Tiberias and Hippo? Read those things in Josephus, look upon the Maps, and Judge.

II. The same Josephus saith of the same Justus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. d 1.4 Justus burnt the Towns of those of Gadara and Hippo. And the Towns bordering upon Tiberias, and the land of the Scythopolitans, were laid waste. Note, how the Towns of those of Gadara and Hippo are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Towns bordering upon Tiberias; which certainly cannot consist together, if the whole Sea be between, which is so put by the Maps.

III. Those things which we learn from the Talmudists concerning the situation of this place, cannot be produced, until we have first observed certain neighbouring places to Tiberias, from the situation of which, it will be more easie to judge of the situation of this.

In the mean time, from these things, and what was said before, we assert thus much: that you must suppose Tiberias seated either at the very flowing in of Jordan into the lake of Gennesaret, namely on the North side of the lake, where the Maps place Caper∣naum (illy:) or at the flowing out of Jordan out of that lake, namely on the South side of the lake. But you cannot place it where Jordan flows in to it, because Josephus saith, Tiberias is not distant from Scythopolis above an CXX furlongs (that is fifteen miles;) but now the lake of Genesaret it self was an hundred furlongs in length, and Scythopolis was the utmost limits of Galilee Southward as we shewed before.

Therefore we are not affraid to conclude, that Tiberias was seated where Jordan flows out of the lake of Genesar, namely at the South shore of the lake; where Jordan re∣ceives it self again within its own channel. This will appear by those things that follow.

We doubt therefore of the right pointing of Pliny. Certainly we are not satisfied about it; and others will be less satisfied about our alteration of it. But let me, with their good leave, propose this reading, Ab Oriente Juliade: & Hippo a Meridie. Tari∣chaea, quo nomine aliqui lacum appellant, ab Occidente. Tiberiade, aquis calidis salubri. On the East Julias, and Hippo on the South. Tarichea, by which name some call the lake, on the West. Tiberias, wholsom for its warm waters. Which reading is not different from Plinies stile, and agrees well with the Jewish Writers: but we submit our judgment to the learned.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Plin. Nat. Hist▪ lib. 5. cap. 15.
• b 1.2

  Joseph in his own life, p. 650
• c 1.3

  Id. de bell. lib. 3. 35.
• d 1.4

  Jos. in his own life, p. 628