Martha Cooper

ON THE COVER: A huge reservoir dwarfs three excavators at Sepphoris, only 4 miles from Nazareth and an important Galilee city for many centuries, including during the lifetime of Jesus. The reservoir could hold more than a million gallons of water and was a key feature of an elaborate system of aqueducts, tunnels and cisterns designed for “Bringing Water to Sepphoris.” The article on the water system is part of our special Spotlight on Sepphoris section. We begin with the question, “How Jewish Was Sepphoris in Jesus’ Time?”; the answer depends in part on the response to another important question, “The Pools of Sepphoris—Ritual Baths or Bathtubs?”