GIS as a heuristic tool to interpret ancient historiography

A case study to reconstruct what could plausibly have happened according to the accounts in New Testament texts

Journal article (2021)

Authors

V.P. van Altena Urban Data Science - Architecture and the Built Environment , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Jan Krans Protestantse Theologische Universiteit
Henk Bakker Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
J.E. Stoter Urban Data Science - Architecture and the Built Environment
Research Group
Urban Data Science (Architecture and the Built Environment) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2021 V.P. van Altena, Jan Krans, Henk Bakker, J.E. Stoter
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tgis.12762
More Info
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Published Date

2021

Language

English

Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Department

Urbanism

Research Group

Urban Data Science

Abstract

This article examines how GIS can be used as a heuristic tool to reconstruct spatial–temporal events from narratives in order to examine whether a scenario is conceivable within the narrative world. The narrative about Paul's escape from Berea (Acts 17:14–15) is used as a case study. Several interpretive issues related to spatial and temporal questions surround these texts. In the case study, three methods are applied: (a) least-cost path analysis on elevation data to construct journeys and travel times for Roman roads; (b) network analysis to find seafaring routes valid for ancient times; and (c) the integration of spatial and temporal data in a space-time cube. Our main finding is that the method yields insights into the spatial–temporal dynamics of the narrative. This helps a modern reader to better understand the narrative conceivability of a story in the mind of a first-century reader.