Either something existed or not. There is no half-measure there.
Stephen Pfann is a reputable xtian scholar and in 1997 he excavated under the auspices of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
http://www.uhl.ac/en/projects/nazareth-village-project/
One farm does not a town make.
There is so much more to the issue, though. The whole question of just how "jewish" was Galilee in the first century needs to be factored in. Judging by the actions of the good citizens of Sephoris and Tiberias when Josephus tried to secure those very important positions during the Great Revolt, the answer is "not very." Sephoris slammed the gates in his face and admitted the troops of the Tribune, Placidius, as a garrison against the jewish rebels. Not very patriotic of them... if they were Jews. But what if they weren't?
Stephen Pfann is a reputable xtian scholar and in 1997 he excavated under the auspices of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
http://www.uhl.ac/en/projects/nazareth-village-project/
Quote:A survey of the area was conducted in February 1997 by CSEC’s archaeological staff. Four seasons of excavation, licensed by the Israel Antiquities Authority and under the joint direction of Ross Voss and S. Pfann, have been carried out by CSEC, with the help of students and local volunteers. These excavations have confirmed the land to be a complete Roman Period terrace farm with a winepress, watchtowers, olive crushing stones, irrigation systems, and an ancient quarry, and have illuminated previously unknown aspects of terrace farming in the Galilee.
One farm does not a town make.
There is so much more to the issue, though. The whole question of just how "jewish" was Galilee in the first century needs to be factored in. Judging by the actions of the good citizens of Sephoris and Tiberias when Josephus tried to secure those very important positions during the Great Revolt, the answer is "not very." Sephoris slammed the gates in his face and admitted the troops of the Tribune, Placidius, as a garrison against the jewish rebels. Not very patriotic of them... if they were Jews. But what if they weren't?
