C.V. (c.v./resumé) Click here to see my professional publications (books and articles) and related background. See what I have been up to in my free time. If you are thinking of taking one of my classes, look over this page carefully to see if I am qualified to be your professor. I also maintain a current copy of my c.v./resumé in a pdf file, along with other information, that you can download at:
http://northerniowa.academia.edu/KennethAtkinson
Teaching Philosophy (Read my teaching philosophy to learn what you can expect in my classes).
Septuagint Translation "Psalms of Salomon"
I was one of the translators for the New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS), which was just published by Oxford University Press. An online version can be found by clicking here. The site also includes addidtional information about the LXX and links to other related LXX sites. The files are protected by copyright notice as described at the beginning of each book. I hope that you find this Bible interesting and compare it with your English translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Recent Article:
Noble Deaths at Gamla and Masada?: A Critical Assessment of Josephus's Accounts of Jewish Resistance in Light of Archaeological Discoveries
In Making History: Josephus and Historical Method . Zuleika Rogers, ed. (Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, Forthcoming April 2006).
The sieges of Gamla and Masada were crucial episodes in the Jewish War. Gamla's capitulation to the Romans in 67 C.E. was one of the first major battles in this conflict while Masada's 73 C.E. downfall marked the terminus of the hostilities. Both sites presented the Romans with immense logistical and topographical difficulties that hampered the effectiveness of their siege tactics. Although the Romans successfully besieged Gamla and Masada, their victories were diminished by the noble deaths of their Jewish defenders who chose suicide over surrender. Yet, the excavations of Gamla and Masada have called into question the veracity of Josephus's accounts, particularly his reports of noble death at each site for which there are no discernable traces in the archaeological record.
This article compares Josephus's accounts of the sieges of Gamla and Masada in light of the archaeological excavations and the topography of each site to suggest that he largely fabricated the basic details of these sieges and their concomitant mass suicides. Moreover, the similarities between Josephus's accounts of the sieges and deaths at Gamla and Masada suggest that these stories function as literary devices to praise Jew and Roman alike. By presenting his readers with fictional stories of noble deaths at Gamla and Masada, Josephus demonstrates the bravery and formidableness of the Jewish population to account for difficulties that the Romans experienced in ending this revolt. At the same time, he highlights the superiority of the Romans legions, who had to overcome formidable military and typographical obstacles to crush this rebellion. The presentation incorporates insights gained from my participation in the Gamla excavations as well as my military experience.
If you are interested in Masada, click here to find a movie based on Josephus's account.
For more on Josephus, click here to view the Project on Ancient Cultural Engagement (PACE) site with articles and photographs.
Why Study Religion? Religion is among the most important topics that you can study at UNI. I urge everyone to take "Religions of the World" since this course will help you to understand our rapidly changing religious landscape. I have a special interest in Religions of the World and have even written a textbook on the subject. I teach the course frequently at UNI and hope to see some of you in my future classes. I update the class each and every semester to include current religious conflicts and try, to the best of my ability, to present them fairly. You can find more about my work in this area by taking a look at the professional background link on my home page (click under c.v.).
The Colossae of Memnon, Luxor, Egypt (West Bank). (Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson)
"...the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat." (Genesis 8:4)
The Mountains of Ararat, Eastern Turkey along the Iranian
Border
Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson
Meteora Monastery, Greece
Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson