Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

FROM THE GOSPELS TO JESUS §9.9
The size and importance of Capernaum have been much debated of late,
with some rather wild figures circulated. 306 But Reed's account gives a much
more sober estimate: a modest town of between 600 and 1,500 residents, that is,
one of Galilee's larger villages. 307 According to Reed, there is no evidence of
paved streets, colonnaded thoroughfares, or channels for running water or sewage;
rather the streets were quite narrow, irregular (bent round house complexes),
and made of packed earth and dirt. 308 Likewise lacking is evidence of public
buildings (no theatre or administrative complex, no shops or storage facilities relating
to the market place) 309 or public inscriptions denoting benefactions (a
characteristic feature of Mediterranean cities of the period). 310 The construction
of houses and domestic utensils was generally of low quality (no evidence of
elite houses); there are no signs of wealth (no fine pottery or even simple glass,
no mosaics, no frescoes, no marble). 311
Capernaum's significance lay in its location. Situated on the northwest
shore of the lake, it was probably the main fishing village of the area and supplied
the hinterland, including Chorazin. More important, it was the last village
their home town (Bethsaida — John 1.44) and also settled in Capernaum (Mark 1.29 pars.). According
to John, Philip had also come from Bethsaida (John 1.44; 12.21). Is it a coincidence
that Andrew and Philip were the only members of Jesus' close disciples to have Greek names?
306. Meyers and Strange estimated a population of 12,000-15,000 (Archaeology 58);
V. C. Corbo describes Capernaum as a 'city' laid out according to the normal urban plan, with a
cardo maximus (principal street, north-south), with numerous decumani (intersecting streets,
east-west) (ABD 1.866-69). See also Reed, Archaeology 143 and n. 15.
307. Reed, Archaeology 149-52; also Crossan and Reed, Excavating Jesus 81-87. Reed
also notes that Capernaum is nowhere mentioned in literature prior to Jesus (Archaeology 140).
S. Loffreda estimates a population of about 1,500 during the town's maximum expansion in the
Byzantine period (OEANE 1.418).
308. Ibid 153.
309. The well-known synagogue in Capernaum most probably dates from the fourth or
fifth century CE, though underneath there is evidence of walls of houses and stone pavements
(S. Loffreda, 'The Late Chronology of the Synagogue of Capernaum', in L. I. Levine, ed., Ancient
Synagogues Revealed [Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1981] 52-56; also Loffreda,
'Capernaum', OEANE 1.418). When these earlier structures are to be dated remains unclear. It
is conceivable that a large house served for communal gatherings (Kee, 'Defining' 22). But it is
also conceivable that there was an earlier synagogue, on the same site or elsewhere, and Luke's
report that the centurion had 'built' (that is, presumably, paid for the building of) what must
anyway have been a fairly unpretentious structure (Luke 7.5) cannot be dismissed out of hand.
One could well imagine local personages trying to 'ape' the benefactions of more prestigious
cities, like Tiberias round the lake. But see Crossan and Reed, Excavating Jesus 90-91.
310. Reed, Archaeology 154-56.
311. Ibid 159-60, 164-65; see also Murphy-O'Connor, Holy Land 217, 220-21.
Chilton's imagination again takes off here: 'the decadence of Capernaum disgusted him (Jesus)';
'the almost bacchanalian excesses that Capernaum offered' (Rabbi Jesus 82, 132).
318