Adoraim (Hebrew:אֲדוֹרַיִםʾĂḏōrayīm),Adora (Ancient Greek:Αδωρά,romanized: Adōrá) orAdurim was an ancient town in theHebron Hills, southwest ofHebron. It is documented in several ancient sources, including theBible, theApocrypha, theZenon Papyri, and the writings ofJosephus.[1] During theIron Age, Adoraim was a part of theKingdom of Judah. During theSecond Temple period, it was inhabited byEdomites.[2]
Presently, Adoraim corresponds to the Palestinian city ofDura, which has preserved the ancient name.[3][4][5] The nearby Israeli community settlement ofAdora is named after the ancient city.
In theHebrew Bible, the city is referred to asAdoraim (2 Chron. 11.9). The city was called byMacabeesAdora (1 Macc. 13.20).[6] The same name was also often used byJosephus.[7] A weak letter is usually lost inHebrew to Arabic sound conversion, such as in the case ofAdoraim toDura.[4] A loss of a first feeble letter is not uncommon and the form ofDora could be found as early as in several instances of Josephus writings.[7]
According to 2 Chron. 11.9, Adoraim was fortified byRehoboam (974 BC – 913 BC), King of theUnited Monarchy of Israel and later the first king of theKingdom of Judah, who was a son ofSolomon and a grandson ofDavid.
According toGuy Le Strange, the city locality is in the Vale ofMamre mentioned in the story ofThe Twelve Spies who brought back toMoses large grapes ofEshkol as recorded in theBook of Numbers.[8]
In the early 6th century BCE theBabylonians attacked the Kingdom of Judah, and the southern part of the country, from Adoraim near Hebron toMaresha and beyond, fell toEdom.[9][10]
FollowingAlexander the Great's conquest, the entire region came underPtolemaic and laterSeleucid rule. Adoraim is mentioned in theZenon Papyri in 259 BCE as a "fortress city".[11][12] In Adora,Simon Maccabeus stopped the advancing army ofDiodotus Tryphon in 142 BCE.[13]
According toJosephus,John Hyrcanus captured the city after the death ofAntiochus VII, circa 129 BCE. The city inhabitants, who were alleged to have been ofEsau's progeny (Idumeans), were forced to convert to Judaism during the reign of Hyrcanus, on the condition that they be allowed to remain in the country.[14] Hyrcanus "hired foreign troops, dismantled Adora andMarissa, the strong places ofEdom, and forced theEdomites to accept theJewish religion and submit tocircumcision. This is the first instance of forcible conversion in Jewish history."[15]
In 63 BC,Pompey's conquest of Judea reshaped the regional dynamics. Adora emerged as a significant center within Idumaea, overshadowing the waning importance ofHebron. It found a place in the roster of cities rebuilt under the auspices of the Roman consulAulus Gabinius. During this era, Adoraim, like several other Jewish urban centers, displayed some level ofHellenization.[16] It's proposed that it might have served as the administrative center for the Eastern Idumaea district established by Gabinius, although other suggestions exist.[17][18] Subsequently, possibly during the time ofHerod, the district's capital was relocated toEngeddi.[19]
During the 1st century CE, an opulent mansion, continuously inhabited until the outbreak of theFirst Jewish–Roman War (66–74 CE), was built at Hirbet Moraq near Dura. This remarkable residence, serving as the focal point of an estate, boasted amenities such as a bathhouse and a layout featuring interior chambers surrounding an open courtyard, all adorned with colonnades. Inscriptions indicate that the house was owned by a Jewish family. This unique "introverted" architectural design had evolved in the region during theHellenistic period.[20]
According to a local tradition, it is believed that the patriarchNoah, the tenth of the pre-flood Patriarchs, as the story ofNoah's Ark is told in theHebrew Bible, was laid to rest in Dura.[6][21] To honor him, a shrine has been erected in the city.[22] The local Maslama tribe is said to have Jewish ancestry.[23]
31°30′18″N35°01′39″E / 31.50506°N 35.0275°E /31.50506; 35.0275