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'''Judea''' or Judæa (from the [[Hebrew]]: יהודה, Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh "Tribe of Judah", [[Greek]]: Ιουδαία, Ioudaía; Latin: Iudaea) was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of [[Israel]] (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל‎ Eretz Yisrael) from the 8th century BCE (Assyrian rule) to the 2nd century CE, when [[Roman]] Judea was renamed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_Palaestina Syria Palaestina] following the Jewish [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt Bar Kokhba revolt].

'''Judea''' or Judæa (from the [[Hebrew]]: יהודה, Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh "Tribe of Judah", [[Greek]]: Ιουδαία, Ioudaía; Latin: Iudaea) was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of [[Israel]] (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל‎ Eretz Yisrael) from the 8th century BCE (Assyrian rule) to the 2nd century CE, when [[Roman]] Judea was renamed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_Palaestina Syria Palaestina] following the Jewish [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt Bar Kokhba revolt].

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

The name Judea is a [[Greek]] and [[Roman]] [[adaptation]] of the name "Judah", which originally [[encompassed]] the territory of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelite Israelite] tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It was the name in use in [[English]] throughout history until the Jordanian occupation of the area. Judea was sometimes used as the name for the entire region, including parts beyond Jordan.

The name Judea is a [[Greek]] and [[Roman]] [[adaptation]] of the name "Judah", which originally [[encompassed]] the territory of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelite Israelite] tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It was the name in use in [[English]] throughout history until the Jordanian occupation of the area. Judea was sometimes used as the name for the entire region, including parts beyond Jordan.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan Jordan] renamed Judea and Samaria ''ad-difa’a al-gharbiya'' (translated into [[English]] as the "West Bank") after its [[conquest]] and occupation of the area in 1948. "Yehuda" is the [[Hebrew]] term for this district in modern [[Israel]].

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan Jordan] renamed Judea and Samaria ''ad-difa’a al-gharbiya'' (translated into [[English]] as the "West Bank") after its [[conquest]] and occupation of the area in 1948. "Yehuda" is the [[Hebrew]] term for this district in modern [[Israel]].

==Geography==

==Geography==

Judea is a mountainous region, part of which is considered to be a [[desert]]. It varies greatly in height, rising to an altitude of 1,020 m (3,346 ft) in the south at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hebron Mount Hebron], 30 km (19 miles) southwest of [[Jerusalem]], and descending to as much as 400 m (1,312 ft) below sea level in the east of the region. It also varies in rainfall, starting with about 400–500 millimetres (16–20 in) in the western hills, rising to 600 millimetres (24 in) around western Jerusalem (in central Judea), falling back to 400 millimetres (16 in) in eastern Jerusalem and dropping to around 100mm in the eastern parts, due to a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainshadow_effect rainshadow effect] (this is the Judean desert). The climate, accordingly, moves between [[Mediterranean]] in the west and [[desert]] climate in the east, with a strip of steppe climate in the middle. Major urban areas in the region include [[Jerusalem]], [[Bethlehem]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gush_Etzion Gush Etzion], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho Jericho] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebron Hebron].

Judea is a mountainous region, part of which is considered to be a [[desert]]. It varies greatly in height, rising to an altitude of 1,020 m (3,346 ft) in the south at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hebron Mount Hebron], 30 km (19 miles) southwest of [[Jerusalem]], and descending to as much as 400 m (1,312 ft) below sea level in the east of the region. It also varies in rainfall, starting with about 400–500 millimetres (16–20 in) in the western hills, rising to 600 millimetres (24 in) around western Jerusalem (in central Judea), falling back to 400 millimetres (16 in) in eastern Jerusalem and dropping to around 100mm in the eastern parts, due to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainshadow_effect rainshadow effect] (this is the Judean desert). The climate, accordingly, moves between [[Mediterranean]] in the west and [[desert]] climate in the east, with a strip of steppe climate in the middle. Major urban areas in the region include [[Jerusalem]], [[Bethlehem]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gush_Etzion Gush Etzion], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho Jericho] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebron Hebron].

Geographers divide Judea into several distinct regions: the Hebron hills, the Jerusalem saddle, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel Bethel] hills and the Judean desert east of Jerusalem, which descends in a series of steps to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea Dead Sea]. The hills are distinct for their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticline anticline] [[structure]]. In ancient times the hills were forested, and the [[Bible]] records [[agriculture]] and sheep farming being practiced in the area. Animals are still grazed today, with shepherds moving them between the low ground to the hilltops (which have more rainfall) as summer approaches, while the slopes are still layered with centuries-old stone [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrace_(agriculture) terracing]. The Jewish Revolt against the Romans ended in the devastation of vast areas of the Judaean countryside.

Geographers divide Judea into several distinct regions: the Hebron hills, the Jerusalem saddle, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel Bethel] hills and the Judean desert east of Jerusalem, which descends in a series of steps to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea Dead Sea]. The hills are distinct for their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticline anticline] [[structure]]. In ancient times the hills were forested, and the [[Bible]] records [[agriculture]] and sheep farming being practiced in the area. Animals are still grazed today, with shepherds moving them between the low ground to the hilltops (which have more rainfall) as summer approaches, while the slopes are still layered with centuries-old stone [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrace_(agriculture) terracing]. The Jewish Revolt against the Romans ended in the devastation of vast areas of the Judaean countryside.

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: Geography]]

[[Category: Geography]]