JOHN WILSON BETLYON
Lecturer in Jewish Studies and CAMS
College of the Liberal Arts
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
EDUCATION: PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University (1978)
MTS, Harvard Divinity School (1973)
AB cum laude, Bucknell University (1971)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NUMISMATIC EXPERIENCE:
2005- present: Numismatist, Qatsrin Archaeological Project, Israel
1995- present: Numismatist, Roman Aqaba Project, Jordan
1995-2002:
Numismatist, Petra Church Project, Jordan
1977-2005:
Papers read at Annual meetings, American Schools of Oriental Research,
Archaeological Institute of America, Society of Biblical Literature
1976-1995:
Numismatist, Limes Arabicus Project, el-Lejjun, Jordan
1984-1989:
Chair, Interdepartmental Program in Archaeology, Smith College
1988-1989:
Visiting Scholar in Syro-Palestinian Archaeology, Harvard University
1988-1989:
Visiting Scholar, William F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research,
Jerusalem, Israel
NEH Travel to Collections Grant
American Philosophical Society Research Grant
1986-1987:
Archaeological Institute of America Lecture Tour
Who’s Who in the East
Who’s Who in Biblical Studies and Archaeology
1970-1985:
Numismatist, Joint Archaeological Expedition to Tell el-Hesi, Israel
Financial Director, 1981-1989; Assoc. Administrative Director, 1980-1981;
Area Supervisor, 1979; Excavator, 1973.
1987:
Numismatist, Wadi al-Jubah Archaeological Project, Yemen
1986:
Numismatist, Qasr Shobak Archaeological Project, Jordan
1982-1983:
Numismatist, Wadi el-Hasa Research Project, Jordan
1981-1985:
Numismatist, Umm el-Jimal Archaeological Project, Jordan
1978-present: Courses taught in archaeology, ancient Near East and Biblical studies, [Harvard
University, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Lycoming College,
Smith College, University of North Florida, Bucknell University,
And Penn State University]
1976-1977:
Director and Research Fellow, Carthage Research Institute, Khereddine, Tunisia
Graduate Research Fellowship, American Numismatic Society
Zion Research Grant, American Schools of Oriental Research
1975-1980:
Numismatist, Punic Carthage Research Project, Tunisia
1975:
Summer Seminar in Numismatics, American Numismatic Society, NYC
1974:
Area Supervisor, Joint Archaeological Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
1996-present Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Religious Studies, and Classics and Ancient Mediterranean
Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
1995-1996
Lecturer in Religion, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837
1994-1995
Visiting Associate Professor in History, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
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1992-1995
Campus Minister, University of North Florida and Jacksonville University, Jacksonville,
FL 32211
1989-2009
Chaplain, United States Army and Pennsylvania Army National Guard [Fort Benning,
GA, with overseas service in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, 1990-1991 and Afghanistan, 20032004]
1981-1989
Associate Professor of Religion and Biblical Literature, Director of the Interdepartmental
Program in Archaeology, Director of the Chapel, and Protestant Chaplain, Smith College,
Northampton, MA 01063
1980-1981
Lecturer in Religious Studies and Campus Minister, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA
17701
1978-1980
Assistant Professor of Religion and Campus Minister, North Carolina Wesleyan College,
Rocky Mount, NC
1977-1978
Pastor, Central Pennsylvania Conference, United Methodist Church
1976-1977
Director, Carthage Research Institute, American Schools of Oriental Research,
Khereddine (Carthage-La Goulette), Tunisia
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1976
A New Chronology for the Pre-Alexandrine Coinage of Sidon, American Numismatic
Society Museum Notes 21:11-35, pls. 2-4.
1980
The Coinage and Mints of Phoenicia: The Pre-Alexandrine Period. Harvard Semitic
Series, 26. Chico, CA: Scholars Press. Pp. xi + 171, fig. 1 and pls. 1-9.
The Joint Archaeological Expedition to Tell el-Hesi, 1981. The Biblical Archaeologist
45:124-126.
1982
The Cult of ‘Asherah/’Elat at Sidon. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 44:53-56.
“Money” and “Shekel” in Harpers Bible Dictionary, P. Achtemeir, ed. (San Francisco:
Harper and Row) 647-651, 938.
1986
Numismatics and Archaeology. The Biblical Archaeologist 48:162-165.
Coins Excavated Between 1970 and 1983 at Tell el-Hesi. Palestine Exploration
Quarterly 118:66-69.
The Provincial Government of Persian Period Judea and the Yehud Coins. Journal of
Biblical Literature 105:633-642.
1987
Coins, Commerce, and Politics: Coins from the Limes Arabicus Project, 1976-1985. In
The Roman Frontier in Central Jordan: Interim Report of the Limes Arabicus Project,
1980-1985, S. Thomas Parker, ed. British Archaeological Reports International Series
340, part ii (Oxford: British Archaeological Reports) 655-689.
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1992
Coinage, in Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol 1, D. N. Freedman, ed. (New York: Doubleday)
1076-1089.
1996
Money, in HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. P. J. Achtemeier, ed. (San Francisco:
Harper) 695-700.
2000
Coins from the 199201993 Excavations. The Petra Church, by Z. T. Fiema, C.
Kanellopooulos, T. Waliszewski, and R. Schick (Amman, Jordan: American Center of
Oriental Research) 384-390.
2003
Neo-Babylonian Military Operations Other Than War in Judah and Jerusalem. Pp. 263283 in Judah and the Judeans in the Neo-Babylonian Period, eds. O. Lipschits and J.
Blenkinsopp. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
2004
Egypt and Phoenicia in the Persian Period: Partners in Trade and Rebellion. Pp. 455-477
in Egypt, Israel, and the Ancient Mediterranean World: Studies in Honor of Donald B.
Redford, eds. G. N. Knoppers and A. Hirsch. Probleme der Ägyptologie. Leiden and
Boston: E. J. Brill.
Afghan Archaeology on the Road to Recovery. Near Eastern Archaeology 67: 59-60/
2005
A People Transformed: Palestine in the Persian Period. Near Eastern Archaeology 68:
4-58.
2006
The Coins. Pp. 413-443 in The Roman Frontier in Central Jordan: Final Report on The
Limes Arabicus Project 1980-1989, vol. 2, ed. S. Thomas Parker. Washington, DC: The
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection.
2008
The Coins from the 1975-1978 Seasons in the Punic Port and Tophet of Carthage,
Tunisia. Revue numismatique 2008: 321-353.
2012
With Ricardo S. Sanchez, A Commander’s Prayers (Rapid City, SD: Crosslink
Publishing. Pp. 158.
IN PREPARATION
The Coins. Final Report of the Roman Aqaba Project, S. Thomas Parker, ed.
The Qatsrin Coin Hoard. Israel Antiquities Authority Publications.
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