Were there 204 settlements in Galilee at the time of Josephus Flavius?

Abstract

Josephus Flavius notes that there are 204 cities and villages in Galilee. Is the number of settlements in Galilee that Josephus cites reliable, or does it belong to the series of figures that most scholars believe is exaggerated? To examine this issue, the article will first define the boundaries of Galilee at the time of Josephus and deal with the secondary question of whether this also included Gaulanitis. Then three different methods will be used to determine the veracity of this statement, counting: (1) the number of settlements from the Ottoman period, (2) the number of settlements in the Late Roman period according to rabbinic literature, and (3) the number of settlements at the time of Josephus according to archaeological surveys. The evidence suggests that Josephus’ number of 204 settlements is probably not far from the actual number of settlements that existed in Galilee and Gaulanitis prior to the first Jewish revolt.

Meek or oppressed? Reading Matthew 5:5 in context

“…He begins by referring to the severe destruction of Galilean towns in the Great Revolt (Gamla, Yodafat, Khirbet Betiha and Magdala) which were left in ruins (2014:279). Josephus (Vita 235) made mention of some 204 cities, towns and villages in Galilee in the years before the Revolt, and that seems to have been possible (Ben David 2011). With reference to the much debated issue of imperial or royal landed estates (see Chancey & Porter 2001:194;Fiensy 2012), Safrai speaks of the search for Romanstyle villas, where so far archaeology has failed to find indications in terms of marble work, mural friezes and mosaics (2014:298-9), or even pagan temples (2014:302;) until the later centuries.…”