Asaf
Ben-Haim

Asaf Ben-Haim is an archaeologist and PhD candidate, studying urbanization in Jerusalem during the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. He is working on a geographical database of archaeological excavations in the Upper City, the aristocratic residential neighbourhood. His research tracks the neighbourhood’s development from the Hasmonean era—c.140 BCE to 37 BCE—to its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE, aiming to reveal how the spread of Hellenistic and Roman cultures affected Jewish society as portrayed in the city’s architecture and layout.

Asaf aims to reveal how the spread of Hellenistic and Roman cultures affected Jewish society, shown by Jerusalem’s architecture and layout.

Asaf earned his BSc in biology and archaeology and his MA in archaeology from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He grew up in Ra’anana and now lives in Tal Shahar with his partner, David, and their dog, Augustus, and cat, Matthias. Asaf has volunteered with Hoshen, an LGBTQI awareness NGO, and enjoys hiking, long walks around Israel, and singing Israeli folk songs.