Editing Samaria (section)

===Roman period===
In 6 CE, Samaria became part of the Roman province of [[Judea (Roman province)|Iudaea]], following the death of King [[Herod the Great]].

Southern Samaria reached a peak in settlement during the early Roman period (63 BCE–70 CE), partly as a result of the [[Hasmonean dynasty]]'s settlement efforts. The impact of the [[Jewish–Roman wars]] is archaeologically evident in Jewish-inhabited areas of southern Samaria, as many sites were destroyed and left abandoned for extended periods of time. After the [[First Jewish–Roman War|First Jewish-Roman War]], the Jewish population of the area decreased by around 50%, whereas after the [[Bar Kokhba revolt]], it was completely wiped in many areas. According to Klein, the Roman authorities replaced the Jews with a population from the nearby provinces of [[Roman Syria|Syria]], [[Phoenicia under Roman rule|Phoenicia]], and [[Arabia Petraea|Arabia]].<ref>קליין, א' (2011). ''היבטים בתרבות החומרית של יהודה הכפרית בתקופה הרומית המאוחרת'' ''(135–324 לסה"נ)''. עבודת דוקטור, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן. עמ' 314–315. (Hebrew)</ref><ref>שדמן, ע' (2016). ''בין נחל רבה לנחל שילה: תפרוסת היישוב הכפרי בתקופות ההלניסטית, הרומית והביזנטית לאור חפירות וסקרים''. עבודת דוקטור, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן. עמ' 271–275. (Hebrew)</ref> An apparent new wave of settlement growth in southern Samaria, most likely by non-Jews, can be traced back to the late Roman and Byzantine eras.<ref>Finkelstein, I. 1993. The Southern Samarian Hills Survey. In E. Stern (ed.). The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, Carta, Vol. 4, pp. 1314.</ref><ref name=":0" />

====New Testament references====
{{religious text primary|section|date=April 2023}}
The [[New Testament]] mentions Samaria in [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 17:11–2,<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|17:11–20|KJV}}</ref> in the miraculous [[Cleansing ten lepers|healing of the ten lepers]], which took place on the border of Samaria and Galilee. [[Gospel of John|John]] 4:1-26<ref>{{bibleverse|John|4:1–26|KJV}}</ref> records Jesus' encounter at [[Jacob's Well]] with the woman of Sychar, in which he declares himself to be the Messiah. In Acts 8:1,<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|8:1|KJV}}</ref> it is recorded that the early community of disciples of Jesus began to be [[Persecution of Christians|persecuted]] in Jerusalem and were 'scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria'. [[Philip the Evangelist|Philip]] went down to the [[Samaria (ancient city)|city of Samaria]] and preached and healed the sick there.<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|8:4–8|KJV}}</ref> In the time of [[Jesus]], ''Iudaea'' of the Romans was divided into the [[toparchy|toparchies]] of Judea, Samaria, Galilee and the [[Paralia (Palestine)|Paralia]]. Samaria occupied the centre of ''Iudaea''.<ref>{{bibleverse|John|4:4|KJV}}</ref> (''Iudaea'' was later renamed ''Syria Palaestina'' in 135, following the [[Bar Kokhba revolt]].) In the [[Talmud]], Samaria is called the "land of the Cuthim".