The Archaeology of Daniel & Babylon
The events recorded in the Old Testament book of Daniel take place during the Neo-Babylonian empire, primarily in the city of Babylon, in approximately 605–536 BC. The earliest manuscript representing the book, 4QDanc from the Dead Sea Scrolls, dates to ca. 125 BC.1 Due to the later date of the manuscripts and the content of the book, many scholars in modern times have argued that Daniel was written in the second century BC by pseudonymous authors in Judea.2 Starting from this idea of a text composed more than four centuries after the stated setting by a person or persons who lived in a country far removed from Babylon, many scholars have claimed that the text of Daniel contains numerous historical errors or...
Titus Kennedy, PhD, is a field archaeologist who has been involved in excavations and survey projects at several archaeological sites in biblical lands, including directing and supervising multiple projects spanning the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, and he has conducted artifact research at museums and collections around the world. He is a research fellow at the Discovery Institute, an adjunct professor at Biola University, and has been a consultant, writer, and guide for history and archaeology documentaries and curricula. He also publishes articles and books in the field of biblical archaeology and history, including Unearthing the Bible, Excavating the Evidence for Jesus, and The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands.
Get Salvo in your inbox! This article originally appeared in Salvo, Issue #71, Winter 2024 Copyright © 2024 Salvo | www.salvomag.com https://salvomag.com/article/salvo71/out-of-babylon
