Arimathea
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(heights) — a city in Palestine, from which, according to the unanimous testimony of the four evangelists (Matt. 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51; John 19:38), came Joseph, a rich and righteous man, who asked Pilate for the body of the crucified Jesus for burial. In the New Testament the name of this place is mentioned only in connection with this event, and it is probably identical with Ramah, or Ramathaim-zophim, in the tribe of Ephraim, not far from Lydda, or Diospolis (1 Sam. 1:1–19), known as the birthplace and burial place of the prophet Samuel, where in his time there was also a school of the prophets.
Near ancient Ramah, Rachel was buried, whom the prophet Jeremiah represents as weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted (Jer. 31:15; 1 Sam. 1:11; 4:19, 20; 7:17). In the Middle Ages it was called Saint-Samuel, and at present is called er-Ram, and is located near Hebron, but more to the north of it, at a distance of about two hours’ journey north of Jerusalem.