> beit she'an used to be called scythopolis, part of greater scythia. the hellenistic period (323 bc) saw the reoccupation of the site of beit she'an under the new name "scythopolis" (ancient greek: ), meaning "city of the scythians", possibly named after the scythian mercenaries who settled there as veterans. > also spelled beth shean (hebrew  ): bronze age, iron age, hellenistic, roman and byzantine city in galilee. in greek, it was called scythopolis or greater scythia;'   ript=sci_arttext&pid=s0259-94222008 000300008 > "the article demonstrates that this thesis is supported by josephus and also by archaeological evidence. from the perspective of this thesis, the article contends that the term "jew" does not apply to galileans. first-century galileans should rather be understood as "ethnic judeans (descendants of judah, judahite-israelite)" > >to reiterate: galileans were not "jews" who practiced a "religion" called "judaism". when jesus, the galilean, was crucified as the "king of the judeans" ; mt 27:37; mk 15:26; lk 23:38; jn 19:19), it was a profound and highly offensive statement against judean ethnic identity.
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