List of Abbreviations

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Preface

Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Source Material

1.2 Aims and Methodological Issues

1.3 Semitic Origin and Biblical Survey

1.4 Terminology

1.5 Leisure-Time Activities and Places of Entertainment

Chapter Two: Geological, Hydrological and Medicinal Aspects of Hot springs in the Eastern Mediterranean—Past and Present

2.1 Distribution and Identification

2.1.1 The Tiberias Basin and the Yarmuk Canyon

2.1.2 The Western Margins of the Jordan Valley

2.1.3 The Dead Sea Basin

2.1.4 The Eastern Margins of the Jordan Valley

2.1.5 Hot Springs within the Syro-African Rift in Sinai

2.1.6 Thermal Springs in Other Places in Palestine

2.2 Geothermal Energy Utilisation in the Jordan Valley

2.3 Examination of Their Use in the Light of Modern Medicine

Chapter Three: Medicinal Hot Springs and Healing Spas in the Graeco-Roman World

3.1 The Original Use of Hot Springs for Medicinal Purposes

3.2 Healing Qualities and Spa Therapy

3.3 Ritual Worship

3.4 The Military Presence

3.5 Public Baths and Spas: The Roman Leisure Culture

Chapter Four: Historical-Archaeological Analysis and Healing Cults of the Therapeutic Sites in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin

4.1 Hammei-Tiberias

4.2 Hammat-Gader

4.3 Hammat-Pella

4.4 Kallirrhoe

4.5 Hammei-Ba'arah

4.6 Hammei-Livias

4.7 The waters of Asia

4.8 Emmaus-Nicopolis

Chapter Five: The Healing Properties of the Thermo-mineral Baths in the Eastern Mediterranean in Ancient Times

5.1 The Nature of the Therapeutic Baths in Light of the Classical Literature

5.2 Knowledge and Recommendations according to the Rabbinic Literature

5.3 The Cairo Geniza Fragments as Historical-Medicinal Evidence

5.4 Medicinal Properties in Light of Archaeological Finds

5.4.1 Numismatic Evidence

5.4.2 The Epigraphical Material

5.4.3 Little Finds

5.5 A Test Case: The Medical History of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch

5.5.1 Rabbi Judah's Bowel Disease

5.5.2 Rabbi Judah's Other Illnesses

5.5.3 Illnesses in Rabbi Judah's Family

5.5.4 Rabbi Judah's Physicians and Treatments

5.5.5 Differential Diagnosis of the Patriarch's Illnesses

Chapter Six: Daily Life at the Thermo-Mineral Baths according to Rabbinic Literature

6.1 The Halakhic Stance of the Sages towards Curative Hot Springs and Baths

6.2 The Sages at the Therapeutic Sites—Aims and Deeds

Chapter Seven: Roman Emperors at the Spas in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin

7.1 Vespasian

7.2 Hadrian

7.3 'Antoninus'—Caracalla

Chapter Eight: The Numismatic Expression of the Medicinal Hot Springs

8.1 Tiberias (Hammei-Tiberias)

8.2 Pella (Hammat-Pella)

8.3 Gadara (Hammat-Gader)

8.4 Nautical Symbols and the Tenth Legion Fretensis— A Reassessment

8.4.1 Coins of Gadara City and Their Link to Nautical Symbols

8.4.2 Nautical Images on Coins of Inland Cities

8.4.3 Evidences for the Presence of the Tenth Legion Fretensis in the Area of Hammat-Gader

8.5 Kefar Agon, the Domain of Gadara and Its Affinity to Leisure and Amusement Culture

8.5.1 The Domain of Gadara and the New Testament Traditions

8.5.2 Kefar Agon in Rabbinic Literature

8.5.3 The Origin, Meaning and Development of the Term Agon

8.5.4 Competitions, Games and Competitors in Talmudic Sources

8.5.5 Kefar Agon: 'Village of Competitions and Games'

8.5.6 'The Delights of Sons of Men Are Pools and Baths' (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 68a)

Chapter Nine: Pilgrimage to the Spas in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Later Roman and Byzantine Periods

9.1 The Perspective of the Church Fathers and Pilgrims to the Therapeutic Sites

9.1.1 Thermal Baths of Tiberias

9.1.2 Hammat-Gader

9.1.3 Thermal Baths of Livias

9.1.4 Thermal Baths of Ba'arah

9.1.5 Thermal Baths of Emmaus-Nicopolis

9.2 Christian Ethics Towards Mixed Bathing and Bathing as a Medical Measure

9.3 The Contribution of Archaeology to the Christians' Deeds at the Spas in the Levant

9.3.1 Thermal Baths of Emmaus-Nicopolis

9.3.2 Thermal Baths of Ba'arah and Kallirrhoe

9.3.3 The Epigraphical Material from Hammat-Gader Thermal Baths

Chapter Ten: Epilogue

Bibliography

General Index

Greek Words

Illustrations