Biblical Figures Found Through Archaeology
Archaeological evidence of about 70 people named in the Old Testament and 32 people named in the New Testament has been discovered, plus probably a few others who are referred to but not specifically named. Most of these people have been identified because their names and titles appear on coins, stone inscriptions, tablets, scarabs, stelae, seals, ancient manuscripts, statues, sarcophagi, and ossuaries. What is especially important about these types of artifacts with names is that they come from the time when the person lived, rather than being history books written hundreds of years later. This means that they are extremely reliable, contemporary historical attestations of those people. Let’s take a look at a list of Bible characters attested by archaeology.
Historical People Discovered from the Old Testament
- Adramelech, Prince of Assyria
- Ahab, king of Israel
- Ahaz (Jehoahaz), king of Judah
- Artaxerxes I, king of Persia
- Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria
- Azaliah, scribe
- Azariah, grandfather of Ezra
- Baruch, scribe of the prophet Jeremiah
- Balaam, Moabite prophet
- Belshazzar, coregent of Babylon
- Ben-hadad II, king of Aram
- Ben-hadad III, king of Aram
- Cyrus II, king of Persia
- Darius I, king of Persia
- Darius II, king of Persia
- David, king of Israel
- Esarhaddon, king of Assyria
- Evil-merodach/Abel-Marduk, king of Babylon
- Gedaliah son of Ahikam, Persian governor of Judah
- Gemariah, scribe
- Geshem the Arab, king of Kedar
- Hadad-ezer, king of Aram
- Hazael, king of Aram
- Hezekiah, king of Judah
- Hilkiah, high priest
- Hophra (Apries), pharaoh of Egypt
- Hoshea, king of Israel
- Jehoash, king of Israel
- Jehoiachin/Yaukin, king of Judah
- Jehu, king of Israel
- Jehucal (Jucal) son of Shelemiah, court official
- Jerahmeel, prince of Judah
- Jeroboam II, king of Israel
- Jezebel, wife of king Ahab of Israel
- Joash, king of Judah
- Johanan, grandson of the high priest Eliashib
- Josiah, king of Judah
- Jotham, king of Judah
- Manasseh, king of Judah
- Menahem, king of Israel
- Merodach-baladan/Marduk-apla-iddina, king of Babylon
- Mesha, king of Moab
- Meshullam, father of Azaliah the scribe
- Nebo-Sarsekim, Babylonian official
- Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon
- Nebuzaradan, Babylonian official/captain/chief cook
- Nebo-Sarsekim, Chief Eunuch of Babylon
- Necho II, pharaoh of Egypt
- Nergal-sharezer, king of Babylon
- Neriah, father of Baruch the scribe
- Omri, king of Israel
- Osorkon IV/So, Pharaoh of Egypt
- Pekah, king of Israel
- Rezin, king of Aram
- Sanballat, governor of Samaria
- Sargon II, king of Assyria
- Sennacherib, king of Assyria
- Seraiah, court official of Zedekiah
- Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria
- Shaphan, father of Gemariah the scribe
- Sharezer, son of Sennacherib
- Shebna, royal steward of Hezekiah
- Shelemiah, father of Jehucal (Jucal)
- Shoshenq I/Shishak, pharaoh of Egypt
- Taharqa (Tirhakah), pharaoh of Egypt
- Taita/Toi, king of Hamath
- Tattenai, Persian Governor of Eber-Nari
- Tiglath-Pileser III/Pul, king of Assyria
- Uzziah/Azariah, king of Judah
- Xerxes I/Ahasuerus, king of Persia
Historical People Discovered from the New Testament
- Annas, high priest
- Ananias, high priest
- Antonius Felix, procurator of Judea
- Aretas IV, king of Nabateans
- Augustus Caesar, emperor of Rome
- Berenice, Herodian princess
- Caiaphas, high priest
- Claudius Caesar, emperor of Rome
- Drusilla, Herodian princess
- Erastus, public official in Corinth
- The Egyptian (name unknown), rebel
- Gallio, proconsul of Achaia
- Gamaliel the Elder, Rabbi
- Herod the Great
- Herod Antipas
- Herod Agrippa I
- Herod Agrippa II
- Herod Archelaus
- Herod Phillip
- Herodias, Herodian Princess
- James, half-brother of Jesus
- Jesus Christ
- John the Baptist
- Joseph (the carpenter)
- Judas of Galilee, Judean rebel
- Lysanias, was tetrarch of Abila
- Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea
- Porcius Festus, Procurator of Judea
- Quirinius, governor of Syria
- Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus
- Theudas, rebel against Rome
- Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome
Biblical Figures Found Through Archaeology
Dr. Titus Kennedy is a field archaeologist working primarily with sites and materials related to the Bible. He works with ColdWater Media and Drive Thru History® to maintain historical accuracy throughout their scripts and locations. Many of the archaeology blog posts are based on his publications, including Unearthing the Bible, Excavating the Evidence for Jesus, and The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands.