[Avodah] lighting a chanukiya

[Eli Turkel]

That lights were lighted is certain-- the
yerushalmi talks about spears holding lights.>>
That does not becessarily mean a chanukiya. There are
opinions that lighting a chanukiya began only at the end of the
second Temple days. Until then they relied on the Menorah in
the Temple. That explains why Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel can
argue about the order of lighting. It still was not settled almost
22 years after Chanukah.
Josephus does not seem to be aware of lighting chanukiyot.
Since it was meant to be done outside to publicize the miracle it
seems strange than a historian of the times looking into reasons
was not aware of the custom. However if the custom
just began at the time of the destruction it would explain why
it still was not widespread and why the details were being argued.

-- 
Eli Turkel