Middle East ......

Lerxst1992 said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Halifax2TheMax said:

Lerxst1992 said:

gimmesometruth27 said:

mickeyrat said:

correct me if I am wrong. Israel does in fact exist, no?

if not, who is starving and killing all the palestinians?

Hombres look much stronger than me and carrying huge bags of food. Unless that’s Hamas stealing 90% of the UN food deliveries, which doesn’t get posted here. Why not?

Because it’s not happening. Stop with the Bibi propaganda.

A Hypothetical Calculation

Let's consider a few key periods and make some highly simplified assumptions.

1. The Ancient Population

 * Initial Population (P_0): Biblical and historical estimates of the ancient Israelite population vary widely. Some scholars suggest a few hundred thousand people in the 10th century BCE, while others argue for much lower numbers in earlier periods. Let's take a generous but still widely debated estimate of 1 million people around the time of the First Temple (c. 900 BCE) as our starting point.

 * Time Period (t): From 900 BCE to today, which is roughly 2,900 years.

 * Annual Growth Rate (r): Pre-modern societies generally had very low population growth rates, often close to zero, because high birth rates were offset by high death rates. However, for the sake of this thought experiment, let's assume a tiny, consistent, positive growth rate. Let's use 0.2% per year (a value that is still very low by modern standards, but high for a pre-modern, pre-industrial population).

The Calculation

Using the exponential growth formula:

P(2900) = 1,000,000 * e^{(0.002 * 2900)}

P(2900) = 1,000,000 * e^{5.8}

P(2900) \approx 1,000,000 * 330.4

P(2900) \approx 330,400,000

This simple model suggests that if the ancient population was 1 million and grew at a constant rate of 0.2% annually for 2,900 years, it could reach over 330 million people. This doesn't even account for the entire Jewish diaspora.

…

Now THATS Jenna’s side.

“Some scholars.” That’s your source? What a joke.

There’s a lot of data in that question..

Estimating the population of ancient Israel during the First Temple period (c. 900 BCE) is challenging due to a lack of precise data. Scholars rely on archaeological evidence and interpretations of ancient texts, which often lead to widely varying estimates.

Here's a breakdown of some of the key points and estimates:

Population of the Kingdoms

 * Total Population: Some sources suggest that the total settled population of Canaan during this period was not much more than a hundred thousand. This number likely refers to the overall population, not just the Israelites.

 * Two Kingdoms: According to the biblical narrative, after King Solomon's death (c. 930 BCE), the unified monarchy split into two separate kingdoms: the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. The Kingdom of Israel was the larger of the two.

 * Archaeological Evidence: The archaeological record indicates that the Israelite society of the early Iron Age (which includes the First Temple period) was primarily made up of small villages. The largest of these villages may have had populations of up to 300 or 400 people.

Population of Jerusalem

 * Minimalist View: Some scholars, like Hillel Geva, take a more conservative or "minimalist" view based on archaeological findings. According to Geva's estimates:

   * During the time of King Solomon (10th century BCE): The city of Jerusalem was expanded, and its population is estimated to have been around 2,000.

   * By the end of the 8th century BCE: At its height, the population of Jerusalem is estimated to have reached about 8,000.

 * Other Estimates: Other scholars have offered higher estimates for Jerusalem's population during this era, ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 people during Solomon's time.

Why the Discrepancies?

 * Archaeological vs. Biblical Data: The biblical accounts often suggest a powerful and populous kingdom, particularly under Kings David and Solomon. However, the archaeological evidence presents a picture of a more modest, village-based society with smaller urban centers.

 * Methodological Challenges: It is difficult to accurately estimate ancient populations based on archaeological remains. Methods used include calculating population density from the size of settlements, but these methods rely on assumptions that are hard to prove.

 * Focus on Different Time Periods: It's important to note that the First Temple period spans several centuries (from about 1000 BCE to 586 BCE). Population levels likely fluctuated significantly during this time.

In conclusion, while the biblical narrative paints a picture of a vast and powerful kingdom, modern historical and archaeological scholarship suggests a more modest population. The most commonly cited scholarly estimates for the total settled Israelite population are in the low hundreds of thousands, with the population of the capital city of Jerusalem being a few thousand at most.