Leisure, Pleasure and Healing Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd i 5/8/2007 3:23:05 PM Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism Editor John J. Collins The Divinity School, Yale University Associate Editor Florentino García Martínez Qumran Institute, University of Groningen Advisory Board j. duhaime – a. hilhorst – p.w. van der horst a. klostergaard petersen – m.a. knibb – h. najman j.t.a.g.m. van ruiten – j. sievers – g. stemberger e.j.c. tigchelaar – j. tromp VOLUME 116 Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd ii 5/8/2007 3:23:08 PM Leisure, Pleasure and Healing Spa Culture and Medicine in Ancient Eastern Mediterranean by Este Dvorjetski LEIDEN • BOSTON 2007 Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd iii 5/8/2007 3:23:08 PM This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data Dvorjetski, Estee. Leisure, pleasure, and healing : spa culture and medicine in ancient eastern Mediterranean / by Estee Dvorjetski. p. cm. — (Supplements to the Journal for the study of Judaism ; v. 116) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-90-04-15681-4 ISBN-10: 90-04-15681-X (alk. paper) 1. Health resorts—Middle East—History. 2. Mineral waters—Therapeutic use—Middle East—History. 3. Balneology—Middle East—History. 4. Hot springs—Middle East—History. 5. Baths, Hot—Middle East—History. 6. Medicine—Middle East—History. 7. Medicine, Ancient. I. Title. RA934.M628D86 2007 613'.1220956—dc22 2007060882 ISSN 1384-2161 ISBN-13: 978 90 04 15681 4 © Copyright 2007 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd iv 5/8/2007 3:23:08 PM This book is lovingly dedicated to my husband and friend Dubi Dvorjetski Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd v 5/8/2007 3:23:09 PM Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd vi 5/8/2007 3:23:09 PM CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ................................................................... xi List of Illustrations ...................................................................... xix Acknowledgments ....................................................................... xxv Preface ........................................................................................ xxix Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................ 1 1.1 Source Material .............................................................. 7 1.2 Aims and Methodological Issues .................................... 9 1.3 Semitic Origin and Biblical Survey ................................ 11 1.4 Terminology ................................................................... 27 1.5 Leisure-Time Activities and Places of Entertainment ... 36 Chapter Two: Geological, Hydrological and Medicinal Aspects of Hot springs in the Eastern Mediterranean—Past and Present .............................................................................. 53 2.1 Distribution and Identi cation ....................................... 56 2.1.1 The Tiberias Basin and the Yarmuk Canyon .... 57 2.1.2 The Western Margins of the Jordan Valley ....... 61 2.1.3 The Dead Sea Basin .......................................... 62 2.1.4 The Eastern Margins of the Jordan Valley ........ 67 2.1.5 Hot Springs within the Syro-African Rift in Sinai ................................................................... 68 2.1.6 Thermal Springs in Other Places in Palestine ... 69 2.2 Geothermal Energy Utilisation in the Jordan Valley ..... 72 2.3 Examination of Their Use in the Light of Modern Medicine ........................................................................ 73 Chapter Three: Medicinal Hot Springs and Healing Spas in the Graeco-Roman World ....................................................... 83 3.1 The Original Use of Hot Springs for Medicinal Purposes ......................................................................... 84 3.2 Healing Qualities and Spa Therapy .............................. 88 3.3 Ritual Worship ............................................................... 92 3.4 The Military Presence .................................................... 105 3.5 Public Baths and Spas: The Roman Leisure Culture .... 116 Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd vii 5/8/2007 3:23:09 PM viii contents Chapter Four: Historical-Archaeological Analysis and Healing Cults of the Therapeutic Sites in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin ............................................................... 125 4.1 Hammei-Tiberias ........................................................... 125 4.2 Hammat-Gader ............................................................. 143 4.3 Hammat-Pella ................................................................ 162 4.4 Kallirrhoe ....................................................................... 167 4.5 Hammei-Baarah ........................................................... 180 4.6 Hammei-Livias .............................................................. 197 4.7 The waters of Asia ......................................................... 202 4.8 Emmaus-Nicopolis ......................................................... 208 Chapter Five: The Healing Properties of the Thermo-mineral Baths in the Eastern Mediterranean in Ancient Times .......... 225 5.1 The Nature of the Therapeutic Baths in Light of the Classical Literature ........................................................ 226 5.2 Knowledge and Recommendations according to the Rabbinic Literature ........................................................ 232 5.3 The Cairo Geniza Fragments as Historical-Medicinal Evidence ......................................................................... 242 5.4 Medicinal Properties in Light of Archaeological Finds ............................................................................... 249 5.4.1 Numismatic Evidence ........................................ 249 5.4.2 The Epigraphical Material ................................ 250 5.4.3 Little Finds ......................................................... 255 5.5 A Test Case: The Medical History of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch ......................................................................... 259 5.5.1 Rabbi Judah’s Bowel Disease ............................. 261 5.5.2 Rabbi Judah’s Other Illnesses ............................ 264 5.5.3 Illnesses in Rabbi Judah’s Family ....................... 268 5.5.4 Rabbi Judah’s Physicians and Treatments ......... 269 5.5.5 Differential Diagnosis of the Patriarch’s Illnesses .............................................................. 270 Chapter Six: Daily Life at the Thermo-Mineral Baths according to Rabbinic Literature ............................................ 273 6.1 The Halakhic Stance of the Sages towards Curative Hot Springs and Baths ................................................... 274 6.2 The Sages at the Therapeutic Sites—Aims and Deeds ............................................................................. 281 Dvorjetski_f1_i-xxxiii.indd viii 5/8/2007 3:23:09 PM contents ix Chapter Seven: Roman Emperors at the Spas in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin ............................................................... 315 7.1 Vespasian ........................................................................ 316 7.2 Hadrian .......................................................................... 323 7.3 ‘Antoninus’—Caracalla .................................................. 339 Chapter Eight: The Numismatic Expression of the Medicinal Hot Springs ............................................................................. 347 8.1 Tiberias (Hammei-Tiberias) .......................................... 348 8.2 Pella (Hammat-Pella) ...................................................... 353 8.3 Gadara (Hammat-Gader) .............................................. 355 8.4 Nautical Symbols and the Tenth Legion Fretensis— A Reassessment .............................................................. 360 8.4.1 Coins of Gadara City and Their Link to Nautical Symbols ............................................... 361 8.4.2 Nautical Images on Coins of Inland Cities ....... 365 8.4.3 Evidences for the Presence of the Tenth Legion Fretensis in the Area of Hammat-Gader ............. 367 8.5 Kefar Agon, the Domain of Gadara and Its Af\ nity to Leisure and Amusement Culture ................................... 370 8.5.1 The Domain of Gadara and the New Testament Traditions ......................................... 371 8.5.2 Kefar Agon in Rabbinic Literature .................... 375 8.5.3 The Origin, Meaning and Development of the Term Agon ......................................................... 377 8.5.4 Competitions, Games and Competitors in Talmudic Sources ............................................... 383 8.5.5 Kefar Agon: ‘Village of Competitions and Games’ ............................................................... 385 8.5.6 ‘The Delights of Sons of Men Are Pools and Baths’ (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin