While foreign relations in the middle east continues to be a subject of turmoil and uncertainty in the present day, it takes only simplistic knowledge on the history of the region to understand that warfare and conflict have been commonplace in the long human-recorded history of the region. Indeed, individuals have been fighting in the middle east for thousands of years. Whether it be the various rebellions occurring within the region as it came under the control of the Roman Empire, or even the crusades nearly 1,000 years following the decline of the Romans, history always points to conflict in the region. In the present, Israel and Palestine remain heavily at odds with one another, and last week, U.S. secretary of war Antony Blinken engaged in cellular dialogue with leaders from both nations. While modern politics continues to parallel historic events, a shocking discovery was made by archaeologists in the region harkening to a period of warfare nearly two thousand years ago.
In autumn 2023, an announcement was made that Four Roman-era daggers, wood and leather sheaths, covers and blades produced at a date back over 1,900 years ago were discovered in a desert cave near the Dead Sea. Israeli archaeologists made the shocking discovery months ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority stated. The artifacts were immaculately preserved. Researchers recorded initial findings in an original publication and hypothesize that the weapons may have been placed in the unique cavern by Jewish revolutionaries during a conflict in the area which occurred in the 130s A.D. Radiocarbon dating had not yet been performed on the swords but were simply dated based on their appearance.
The discovery proves that armed conflict and war has unfortunately remained a common theme throughout the entirety of human history. Recently, a military chief from Norway claimed a major war with Russia could occur in three years’ time amid hostile tensions and conflict currently unfolding without cessation in Ukraine.
