Eusebius of Caesarea, Onomasticon (1971) Notes. pp. 76-252. Ed. C. Umhau Wolf.
NOTES
Latin Preface By Jerome
1. Ararat, Armenia. Genesis 8:4; Klostermann. Das Onomasticon der biblischen Ortsnamen (1904) (hereafter K.) 2:23 (page#:line#), cf. 38:11; Legarde. Onomastica Sacra (1966) (hereafter L.) 232:25 (page#:line#).
Ararat is suspect as an entry in the original manuscript since it is a mountain and is out of the region of Palestine as well. The inclusion of the long quotation from Josephus' Antiquities , (I, iii, p. 5ff.) is repeated in the text of Procopius 285A & B. Eusebius refers to Ararat also in his Preparatio Evangelica , (viii, p. 10f.) and Jerome, in his Commentary on Isaiah 37:36ff.). In Interpretation of Hebrew Names (60) Jerome translates "mountain of taunting."
The referents in Josephus are largely third century B.C., e.g. Berosus, Musseas. However, Nicolas was a contemporary of Josephus and a biographer of Herod the Great. The location has persisted in tradition as in the present Kurdistan areas, between Armenia and Parthia in ancient times.
Leaetai is used by Eusebius fairly consistently for written sources, most frequently the Bible. Cp. Genesis 8:4, II Kings 19:37, Jeremia 51:27. On the other hand, phasin ( dicuntur ) reflects an anonymous oral tradition.
The text of Eusebius and Jerome vary only slightly in the quotation of Josephus. The translation of the quotation is that of Thackeray from the Loeb Classic Library (used with permission). The textual variants are all minor.
2. Achad. Genesis 10:10; K. 4:26; L. 233:54.
Textual variants: Achab (Greek); and Archath, Achar, and Acath (Latin).
Achad as the above Ararat also is not in the region of Palestine. Its size is recognized by the use of polis (Greek) and both urbs and civitas (Latin). Jerome in Hebrew Questions notes "it is now called Nisibis." In another entry he notes it is in Edessa. The date referred to by Latin was 363 A.D.
3. Aggai (Ai). Genesis 12:8; K. 4:27; L. 233:55.
The location of Ai is still a complex archaeological puzzle. Judith Krause-Marquet and Pere Abel felt that Eusebius must have had et-Tell in mind because of the words topos eremos used also for Ainan (K. 8:13) and Galgala (K. 66:4). Procopius 320A records Eusebius: "Aggai now is a deserted place not far west of Bethel" (cp. Joshua 7:2, 8:1). This would be on the road to Bethel which leaves the main road at the 12th milestone (cf. K. 40:20). Bethel is often used as a referent in the Bible and is so used in the text (see Appendices).
Jerome also notes a church had been built at Bethel ( Commentary on Genesis 28:19) probably by Constantine ( Epistle 108:12). For other churches added in Jerome's account see Mambre (K. 7:20), Bethany (K. 59:18), Gethsemane (K. 75:19), and Sychar (K. 165:3-4).
Ailia (Aelia) is Jerusalem. Neapolis is 36 miles from Jerusalem according to the Deut. Table but other texts have 30 miles ( Itin. Ant . 200:1). On the Madaba Map it is a large walled city with a basilica. In Eusebius it is a point of reference and according to K. 150:2 distinct from Shechem. Shechem was destroyed in pre-Christian times and Neapolis built there by Vespasian. This Neapolis is present day Nablus near Mt. Garizin. A bishop was present at the Council of Nicea. A basilica was erected there by Justinian according to Procopius ( Buildings , V, viii, 1) after time of our text.
In Interpretation of Hebrew Names (61) Jerome translates "inquiry or gaiety."
4. Astarōth Karnaein. Genesis 14:5; K. 6:4; L. 233:61.
Textual variant: Asarōth (Greek).
There are many attarah in the region of Palestine. The names and spelling in both the Masoretic Text (hereafter MT ) and Onomasticon are confusing. In this entry no positive location is given. Only a general area. Procopius 332C wrote, "It is now the city of the blessed Job in the Batanaia. Two villages between Adaron and the city Bibles, nine miles distant from each other, are so-called" (cf. K. 112:3 and K. 142:3 for "home of Job").
Abela (K. 32:15) Is the present Tell abil . Adra (K. 84:7) in Syriac Manuscript is indicated as dari 'at or der'at the present Syrian border town with Jordan. The Batanaia is also called Batalona (K. 12:12). All was part of the land of Bashan (K. 44:9).
The two villages are best located at Tell 'ashtarah and Sheih Sa 'ad . The former is a large tell suitable for the Old Testament Ashtaroth (cf. K. 12:11). Perhaps the latter succeeded as chief administrative city of the district of Karnaeim (cf. K. 112:3). However in the Bible, Astaroth is merely identifying the site of a battle which took place near the city. If so, then Karnaeim added to the name gives the district in which the battle took place (cf. Biblical Archaeologist Dec. 1962, p.109). Eusebius seems to look for two sites.
In Interpretation of Hebrew Names Jerome has four entries on Astaroth with several interpretation repeats: sheepfold, manger, blackened hall, or make an investigation (61, 85, 90, and 98).
5. Arbō. Arboc. Genesis 23:2; K. 6:8 and 7:11; L. 233:65.
Textual variants include: Arboch (Greek), Arbee (Latin), Arboq. Another variant seems to identify Arbō Chebrōn and the terebinth. The entire entry has been inserted out of biblical order by a late editor.
The terebinth is located at six stadia from Chebrōn by Josephus ( Wars , iv, 553). In (K. 76:1) Mamrē also locates the terebinth in the vicinity of Chebrōn (cp. K. 170:25). In K. 26:16 it is located two miles from Bethanin (cp. K. 68:21, 94:21 and Eusebius' De Vita Constantini , iii, 51f., Demonstratio Evangelica V 9). Also see Kariatharbō K. 112:18 where Genesis 23:2 makes the equation.