I've been doing a fair bit of attempted research on the aesthetics of the Second Temple era, trying to figure out the military, the fashion, but what really stumps me is the architecture. I've seen so many conflicting reports describing it as Hellenistic, Nabataean, Roman, or local. I'd be inclined to believe any of these, since the Greeks and Romans were highly influential, the Nabataeans were a significant power right nearby and had a unique architectural culture, and the local Canaanite architecture could be represented by buildings predating Alexander that had survived as well as Phoenician architects. I've even read, here and there, that there was some Mesopotamian influence too.
Here's my question - what was the architecture of the period like? How much of it was Greco-Roman, how much was local? What influences led to the unique development in Herodian architecture at the end of the period, and which of these styles does it fit most closely? How common was the native Canaanite architecture during this period, both in general, and in influencing new buildings? I've read that the Second Temple (including Herod's) was very similar to the general Canaanite architecture expressed in Phoenicia as well since pre-Alexander times. Is this true?
I've just been fascinated by the weird ways in which Hellenism was both adopted and rejected in this time, in which Hellenistic culture was adopted when particularly convenient or to make a statement, but systematically rejected in so many ways as antithetical to Judean identity. I even saw a relief (iirc anyway, been a long time) that depicted a leader of one of the Jewish Revolts as wearing Persian armor, to signify his Easternness contrasted to the Romans he was fighting - and I'd like to find it again if anyone knows what this is. I think it's all fascinating.
So, how about it? We look at the Temple Mount, the Temple itself even, we look at the Cave of the Patriarchs, we look at Masada, we look at
really whatever examples we have of Jewish architecture from roughly 500 BCE to 100 CE, we look at all these - what are the cultural characteristics of the art and architecture of this area in this period? I figured
r/israel would be possibly best qualified, for somewhat obvious reasons, and since you guys might have good resources for this kinda stuff too apart from people who might be personally involved in archaeology or stuff like that.
