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orion Agrippa on Qumran Essenes
The recent claims that "infra hos Engada" means the Essenes lived
in hills above En Gedi has been shown as a mistranslation, and a reliable
translation has been explained. Further confirmation comes from the fact
that Pliny does not mention hills or any heights upon which Essenes were,
from which one would come down in altitude to En Gedi. And there is no
archaeological candidate overlooking En Gedi. Also, if Essenes had been
near a non-Essene settlement at En Gedi, one might ask whether they would
be described as alone with palm trees.
Now that it is widely recognized that Pliny used a Herodian-period
administrative source (obviously pre-70, as shown from the list of
districts), it is of interest to ask further what Agrippa, governor of
Syria, knew about Essenes who lived at Qumran, a site with remains of date
palm wood, palm leaves, and many date pits. Herod, according to Josephus,
knew of specific, contemporary Essenes. Agrippa, a friend of Herod, was in
the area circa 15 BCE.
Stephen Goranson goransons@uncwil.edu soon at goranson@duke.edu
PS I see my computer clock is mistaken; Apologies; I'm in process of
learning a new set-up.