Josephus' "Cydasa of the Tyrians" (Tel Qedesh) in eastern Upper Galilee

Eastern Upper Galilee in the Roman period evidently housed two ethnic groups in an often hostile relationship (cf. Jos.,BJ3.35-40): in the north, a pagan population belonging to thechoraof Tyre, which would have included Qedesh, and in the south a Jewish population. The two ethnic-based territories, which exhibit clear differences in their material culture, were separated by the deep ravine of Naḥal Dishon (wadi Hindaj). Other than urban temples, pagan temples, usually dated to the 2nd and 3rd c. A.D., are limited to the area north of Naḥal Dishon, while synagogues, which continued to be erected into the late-antique period, lie to its south. Qedesh lies 35 km southeast of the large metropolis of Tyre (fig. 1) across a rough mountainous area which made communication somewhat difficult.