Mary Magdalene’s Hometown Gives Up Secrets
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Magdala, a small town going back millennia, is most famous for its best-known citizen – Mary Magdalene. Yet recent findings by Israeli and other archaeologists have shed light on fascinating and little-known aspects of the town by the Sea of Galilee.
These are times in which Christians, led by the popes themselves, have been reconnecting with the Jewish roots of their faith – and from the digs at Magdala it seems they are just closing a circle. Findings at the town include an ancient 1st-century synagogue where it seems Jews and the earliest Judeo-Christians worshipped together, side by side.
Today is an era of female empowerment, creating new interest in the story of Mary herself, and in the town she came from. Magdala is a town whose time has come.
Magdala is situated on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee at the foot of Mount Arbel. Many of the recent findings are firsts in archaeological excavations, in Israel and even worldwide.
The first unique feature of Magdala isn’t news. It’s that it was the only city along the shore of the Sea of Galilee (until Tiberias was founded in 19 C.E.) In 67 C.E. the town was besieged by the Romans under the command of General Titus himself, who defeated Magdala after a bloody sea battle.
For more go to Haaretz
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
