ELEUTHEROPOLIS ('EXEvOepor6Xts), an im portant town of southern Palestine. It is fre quently mentioned by Eusebius as a central and well-known point from which the directions and distances of other towns were reckoned (Onomast. s.v. Esthemo, Sephela, 7ermus, etc.; Reland, Pal. P. 411). Jerome says, Omnis australis regio de Elentheropoli usque ad Petrum et Ailam in Specubus habitatiunculas habet,' etc.
(Comm. in Obad. i.) It appears from these and many other notices that Eleutheropolis was the capital of a large province during the fourth and fifth centuries of our era. It was also an episcopal city of Palastina Prima (S. Paulo, Geogr. Sac., p. 306 ; Notitia Faclesitzstica, p. 6). Its site re mained unknown for many centuries, though de fined by several ancient writers with much minute ness. It was identified by Dr. Robinson. Euse bius states that the plain of Shepheleh extends from Eleutheropolis westward and northward (Onomast. s. v. Sephela); and hence it must have stood at the south-western base of the mountains of Judah. He also states that Bethshemesh was ten miles distant from it, on the road to Nicopolis; and Jedna, six miles on the road to Hebron ; and Sochoh, nine miles on the road to Jerusalem. All these places are now known, and the lines of road being traced and the distances measured, we find that the site indicated is Beit Yibrin (Robinson, B. R. ii. 58). In the Arta Sandoval Martyrum, published by Assemani in Syriac, Greek, and Latin, Peter Abselama the martyr is said to have been born at Anea, which lay, according to the Syriac version, in the district of Beth Gubrin, while both the Greek and Latin read in the dis trict of Eleutheropolis (Id., p. 66). This establishes the identity of Beth Gubrin and Eleutheropolis. Josephus mentions a town in this neighbourhood called Betaris, which some copies read Biryapp/s, and it appears to be the same place (Bell. Yud. iv. 8. i). Under the name Bmtogabra (Batroryci(3pa), it is enumerated by Ptolemy among the cities of Palestine (v. 16), and it is also laid down in the Peutinger tables (Reland, Pal. p. 421). The name Eleutheropolis first appears on coins of this city in scribed to Julia Donna, the wife of Septimius Severus, in A.D. 202-3. The emperor had been in Syria about that time, and had conferred im portant privileges on various cities, among which was Betogabris, which appears to have been then called Eleutheropolis, Free city' (Robinson, B.R. ii. 60). For a few centuries the Greek name sup planted the Aramaic ; but 15o years after the Saracenic conquest, this city was destroyed, and the Greek name disappeared. The Aramaic was immediately revived (Reland, Pal. 222,227 ; Gesta Dei per J044). In the izth century the Crusaders found it in ruins, and called by the Arabs Bethgebrim (doubtless a Frank corruption of Beit yibrin). They built a strong fortress on the old foundations, to guard against the incursions of the Muslems. After the battle of Hattin it fell into the hands of Saladin, but was retaken by Richard of England. It was finally captured by Bibars, and remained in possession of the Saracens until its ruin in the i6th century (See Robinson, E. R. ii. 28 ; and authorities cited there).
The modern village of Beit Jibrin contains be tween two and three hundred inhabitants, and is situated in a little nook or glen in the side of a long green valley, which is shut in by low ridges of limestone, partially covered with dark copse.
The ancient ruins are scattered around it, and are of considerable extent. The principal one is a large irregular inclosure, formerly surrounded by a massive wall, still in part standing, and contain ing the remains of the Crusaders' castle. In the castle are portions of the walls and of the groined roof and clustered columns of an old chapel. An Arabic inscription over the castle-gate bears the date A. H. 95S=A.D. 1551—probably the time when it was last repaired. A short distance east ward are other massive ruins, and a deep well ; while about a mile up the valley are the picturesque remains of the church of St. Anne (Handbook for S. arid P., 256, sq.) The limestone ridges which enclose the valley south of Elentheropolis are almost filled with caverns and excavations, rivalling in extent and interest the catacombs of Rome and Malta. They are altogether different in character from the rock tombs of Jerusalem and the grottos of Petra. They were examined and described by Dr. Ro binson, and they have since been more fully ex plored by the writer. They occur in large groups, like subterranean villages, on both sides of the valley. ' Besides domes,' says Dr. Robinson, there are here also long arched rooms, with the walls in general cut quite smooth. One of these was nearly loo feet in length ; having along its sides, about ten feet from the floor, a line of orna mental work like a cornice. These apartments are all lighted by openings from above. The en trance to the whole range of caverns was by a broad arched passage of some elevation, and we were surprised at the taste and skill displayed in the workmanship.' Such is one group. About a mile from the town, opposite the church of St. Anne, is another, still more remarkable. They occupy the whole interior of a little conical hill of soft cretaceous rock. These are also well de scribed by Robinson. ' Lighting several candles, we entered by a narrow and difficult passage, and found ourselves in a dark labyrinth of galleries and apartments, all cut from the solid rock. Here were some dome-shaped chambers ; others were extensive rooms, with roofs supported by columns of the same rock left in excavating ; and all were connected with each other by passages apparently without order or plan. Several other apartments were still more singular. These were also in the form of tall domes, 20 feet or more in diameter, and from 20 to 3o high ; they were entered by a door near the top, from which a staircase cut in the rock wound down around the wall to the bottom.' The origin and object of these singular excava tions are easily ascertained. During the Baby lonish captivity the Edomites overran and occupied the whole of southern Palestine, which is hence called by Josephus, Idumaea.. Jerome calls the Idummans Horites, and says they dwelt within the region of Eleuthcropolis (Comm. in Obad. i.) The original inhabitants of Edom were Horites, that is Troglodytes, ' dwellers in caves.' . The descend ants of Esau adopted the habits of their predeces sors, and when they took possession of southern Palestine excavated rock dwellings wherever prac ticable (Robinson, B. R. ii. 68 ; Van de Velde, ii. 147, sq.)—J. L. P.