There aren’t too many scholarly journals that can be read recreationally; one of them is the Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR). Despite what the name might suggest, the BAR is in no sense a religious publication; it is, rather, a serious academic look at discoveries and developments in the archaeology of the Levant—principally in Egypt, Jordan, and of course, Israel. This month, the BAR updated one of its best features, “Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible.” Three new ones have been discovered. BAR’s new feature “53 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically” makes fascinating reading.

Some of them are no surprise: Cyrus and Darius the Greats, for instance, are both mentioned in the bible, though they’re much better known for their extra-biblical work. King Xerxes, of Thermopylae, is mentioned in the bible, as are the Pharaohs Shesonq, Osorkon IV, Taharqa, Neco II and Apries.