Introduction

Summary

Although the archaeological evidence indicates a prosperous and thriving Galilee in the early first century ce, the Gospel texts suggest a society under stress and one where the rich were flourishing at the expense of the poor. This motivated me to examine the texts in more detail against the wider background of late Second Temple Judaic literature, and also to undertake an in-depth appraisal of the archaeology, including Jerusalem and environs, in order to determine the nature and severity of any stressors.