Qumran: Fortress Of Helena

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yakovzutolmai
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Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 6:03 am

Qumran: Fortress Of Helena

Post by yakovzutolmai »

This isn't as much a hypothesis as it is a topic or question.

I have advanced my theory of a political crisis during Herod Agrippa's reign. Roughly speaking, Agrippa's ego is bruised at a perceived slight by Sampsiceramus and Rome (the nature of which being a kind of reservation about his status). This drives Herod away from Rome and toward Jewish Adiabene. We see Izates fight "Abia" whom I interpret to be Sampsiceramus. We also see Herod remove the long standing Ananian priests from the high priesthood, replacing them with the long removed Boethusians. In the end, Herod is poisoned, and perhaps "Lazarus" AKA Elionaeus Boethus is injured, perhaps by "Annas the rich man". The aftermath features the Theudas incident, then 2 years of persecutions. Specifically, James and Simon the sons of Judas of Galilee are persecuted.

This seems to end with the famine of 48, famously mentioned in Acts. Josephus relates that Helena, Queen of Adiabene, relieves the famine from her royal treasury. The Talmud credits "Munbaz" perhaps Monobazus II (implying Izates has met his end, I'm assuming he might have been Theudas).

From thence, Helena is extremely prominent in Jewish society. Her palace is in the Old City. Her tomb is one of the most, if not THE most magnificent, in the valley (as the French recovered her remains, I sometimes wonder tongue-in-cheek if the general premise of "Da Vinci Code" with a Mary below the Louvre is in fact true, though it is Helena who is both our Magdalene - consort of Marduk - and Virgin - consort of Oannes).

Could Qumran have been a property of Helena?

Per Eisenmann, the main activity of this community was in the "Lands of Damascus" AKA Batanea of the Babylonian Jews. Could Qumran have been their Judean outpost, with Helena as its and their patron?

I know this has been discussed before, but perhaps not in this forum. The two centers of the Jamesians - Nasara and Kokaba - could this be Bathrya and Qumran? Should Qumran be seen together in an axis with Bathyra? That is the essence of this topic, with Helena as the locus.

Finally, a parenthesis: Josephus claims the Bathyrans fleeing to Gamala called their settlement "Ecbatana". The mound of Earth next to Nawa in Syria meets the description and provides good vantage over the trade route from Damascus. Perhaps someone could someday organize a search of the area.
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