Marissa
Ancient Mareshah, in the lower hill country of Judea. In the Hellenistic period, when it was inhabited by Hellenized Sidonians, it was known by the name of Marissa. It is first mentioned in this period in the Zenon papyri (Pap. Zenon Cairo 59006, 59015, 59537) when it was a center for slave trade with Egypt and was the capital of W Idumaea. During the Hasmonaean wars, Marissa was the center for maneuvers against Judea. It was ravaged by the Hasmonaeans but not conquered (Joseph. AJ 12.353). John Hyrcanus later conquered the city and converted its inhabitants (AJ 13.257; BJ 1.63). After the conquest of Palestine by Pompey, Marissa was restored to its former inhabitants (AJ 14.75; BI 1.156). It was later rebuilt (AJ 14.87; BJ 1.166). After its destruction by the Parthians in 40 B.C. (AJ 14.364; BJ 1.265), it was apparently handed over to Herod together with the whole district.
Only the uppermost level, the Hellenistic, has been fully excavated. The Hellenistic town occupied an area of 15 ha. The general plan formed a rectangle, 158 m long from E to W and 152 m from N to S. The wall, built of blocks of limestone, was strengthened with rectangular towers on all sides, except at the N where there was a large structure, probably the gate, adjacent to the wall on the inside. The streets were laid out according to the Hippodamian plan. Two parallel streets running from E to W were intersected by three at right angles. The streets were 2-6 m wide. Most of them were paved and provided with a sewage system. They formed twelve blocks of houses. A large block close to the E wall was probably an administrative, military, and religious center, while another large block served as the commercial quarter of the town. Most of the private houses were built around a central court. Others were a simple agglomeration of rooms. The administrative-military center was 45 m square and consisted of a large open court surrounded by numerous halls and rooms. In the center of the court was a large building (3 x 9 m), possibly the local temple. The commercial quarter consisted of two adjoining courts: the paved one was probably a market; the other, surrounded by porticos, was probably a caravan-serai. A large house adjoined the first court. The remains of architectural decoration and capitals show both local and Hellenistic influence. At a later period, the course of the straight streets was changed and rooms were built where formerly there were streets. This change must have been made either after the ravaging of the town by the Hasmonaeans or after the Roman conquest.
During excavation numerous pottery vessels were found, including hundreds of imported Rhodian wine jars, 16 small lead figurines connected with witchcraft, and 51 limestone plaques, written in Hebrew, Greek, and in an unidentified script, possibly Coptic-Demotic. Those deciphered contained invocations to unidentified deities, which are named “fatherly, motherly ghosts,” or the “Virgin of the Nether World.” Other plaques contain incantations. The names of the persons involved were Semitic, Roman, Egyptian, or Greek. Of the 63 caves discovered around the mound some were used as dwellings, others contained wine and olive presses. In some of the caves columbaria were discovered, the purpose of which is uncertain. A large number of caves were bell-shaped, with stairs along the walls leading down into them.
In the local necropolis, most important were two painted tombs. The larger (22 x 17.5 m) consisted of a dromos, a decorated entrance, and a long hall, which opened on three burial chambers. The wall around the entrance at the far end of the hall was painted to depict the facade of a Greek temple. Along the walls of the hall were painted a hunting scene, with various animals, birds, and fishes, real and imaginary. Some scenes are identified by inscriptions in Greek. The form and art of these tombs bear close resemblance to contemporary Ptolemaic funerary art in Egypt, mingled with Phoenician-Oriental elements.
BIBLIOGRAPHYF. J. Bliss & R.A.S. Macalister, Excavations in Palestine During the Years 1898-1900 (1902); J. P. Peters & H. Thiersch, Painted Tombs in the Necropolis of Marissa (1905).
A. NEGEV