| Abstract: | Philip, like his brother Antipas, was a city builder—a characteristic highlighted by Josephus in multiple, yet not totally parallel accounts. The purpose of this article is to show that the question of Philip’s founding of Julias from a village named Bethsaida involves numerous factors, including the general pattern of founding cities during this period, the economic and political concerns of the founders themselves, the pattern of citation of city names in first-century literary sources, the relation of the naming of this city and the character of the honoree, the contradictory reports by Josephus, and finally coin evidence. In the end, it will be apparent that Julias was founded near the end of Philip’s reign in 30 CE. Coin minting patterns show something of a competition between the two brothers late in their rule. Earlier, each had followed the wise practice of establishing new capitals at Sepphoris (8 CE) and Caesarea Philippi (1 CE). However, when Antipas founded a second city Tiberias in 20 CE, the balance was disrupted with Antipas controlling the lake economy even to the extent of encroaching upon Philip’s southern territory. Philip’s choice of a second city at Bethsaida on the northern shore of the lake was thus a natural response based on political and economic concerns. Philip’s coinage in 30 CE following the death of Julia/Livia in 29 CE establishes an exact date for Philip’s new city, consistent with Josephus’ report in Jewish War . |
