History of Jerusalem midterm Flashcards
1
Q
Topography of Jerusalem
A
Jerusalem (unlike big cities) isn’t by water, or trade routes. It’s 9 acres and is known as Central Hills/Hill Country area.
Jerusalem’s only water source is in Ir David, the Gichon and cities were built on hills nearby (old city) the water source.
Not built to sustain many people.
Jerusalem was often attacked from the north because that’s the only place where you can get the high ground.
2
Q
Execration Texts
A
Pot sherds (broken pottery), 80 dishes called Execration texts. Wrote enemies on pots smashed them, (voodoo).
“Rushalimum” and its princes on them,
Inscribed with writing/cursive hieratic . Real writing–mentions names of countries, towns, rulers alleged to be enemies of Egypt. voodoo/sympathetic magic–they took these vessels/wrote on them the town of x, name of ruler, each vessel had one or two names and then you smashed the vessel and thats what should happens to your vessels
first mention of Jerusalem
They believe Shalim, Canaanite sun god was in the area.
3
Q
princes of Rushalimum
A
Yikran and Shashan
4
Q
tel amarna
A
Tel amarna is archaeological site of amarna tablets
5
Q
ostrica
A
execration texts. broken pottery used as paper and written on after being broken
6
Q
abdi hepa
A
Yevusi king of Jerusalem
6 letters in amarna letters King Abdi-hepa, king of “Jerusalem,” (Jerusalem) asking for troops or cities having land disputes.
He only asked for help in the 1st one but instead of help, he was almost killed. After he only sent letters complaining about land disputes.
prince/king of jerusalem sending letters to pharoah
late bronze age
Jerusalem is city with king and vassal and important enough to communicate with pharoah. One of many canaanite city states–they ask for small petty requests and praise themselves and they impugn motives of neighbors. Egyptian sovereignty in land of israel over bickering vassals
7
Q
Amarna tablets/letters–discuss vassals and international scene
A
preserved international correspondence; If it had been in hieroglyphs it wouldve been on papyrus and wouldnt have preserved.
350 letters between Egyptian king and Canaan/Retinu (Retinu=Egyptian name for Canaan).
Letters are written on clay pottery, mostly in Akkadian cuneiform, (Mesopotamia writing system).
8
Q
Why did the Amarna tablets preserve?
A
Armana letters–you can find clay tablets but not papyrus bc it preserves really well.
9
Q
significance of Amarna tablets
A
Amarna letters show that Jerusalem had importance on local Canaanite scene. Not all that central to the lives of the Avot in the way beer sheva and chevron do. Jerusalem is really associated with David.
10
Q
Akhenaten–amarna tablets
A
14c bce–heretic king pharoah Akhenaten moves capital away from Thebes to new town in desert so he could worship sun all day long–Brings father’s and his own international correspondence–babylonian king writing letters “WHY ARE YOU MAKING MY MESSENGER STAND IN SUN ALL DAY”.
11
Q
Yevusim
A
Abdi Hepa Yevusi king of Jerusalem in Late Bronze Age (1500-1200) in Amarna Period. Retinue (What the Egyptians called Canaan) became a vassal to Egypt because it was a buffer zone against their enemies.
Abdi-hepa called his citadel “Beit Shulamit”–House of Well Being. There were no fortifications or big buildings.
Letters from him to Pharaoh requesting archers, as nomads were attacking his area.
Abdi-Hepa fought the ruler of Shechem
Egypt was focused on the war with the Hitti
Built the Fortress of Zion. The 1st wall of Jerusalem built in 1800 BCE, the middle Bronze Age (1700-1600 BCE). From 1550 to 1200 BCE (Late Bronze Age) there were no new walls built (because they were strong or Egypt didn’t let) but 1200 the Yevusim fixed the walls and expanded it down the eastern slope. They were agriculturalists, used Gichon Spring. This was a place of political importance. Melchizedek was king of “Salem” during Avraham, but we don’t know if he’s Yuvasi. Yehoshua beat Adonizedek in battle, king of Jerusalem, and took over Jerusalem, but couldn’t drive out the Yevusim fully. Yevusim still had control, even during the time of David until he drove them out.
first occupiers of Jerusalem, under King Aravnah. Idea that jerusalem was impregnable so they placed blind and lame statues–mocking. we don’t know what happened to them after David drove them out
12
Q
Aravnah
A
He was maybe last Yevusi king, he wasn’t kicked out of Jerusalem, he was even allowed to keep his estate, and David bought some of the estate. The estate included a “threshing floor”, which maybe has religious significance. This is the area of Mt. Moriah where the Temple will be built.
David relocated Aron to Jerusalem and built an altar on the threshing floor, this is a watershed moment first time Jews in Jerusalem (making Jerusalem both the spiritual and political capital).
13
Q
watershed moment
A
David’s conquest is known as a watershed moment which is a moment that completely changes the direction of the story.
Watershed Moment – the moment David conquers the Yevusim. Went from provincial canaanite town of some importance and destiny changed to the political and ultimately religious capital for a new nation
14
Q
Yoav
A
Yoav captures Jerusalem by going up the water shaft and surprising those in the city — but this text is incomplete and we don’t really know the full story.
Under Yevusi control — the first opinion was that Yoav went through the water shaft by the Gichon, penetrating the Metzudat Zion. Yoav was his commander in chief because he was first to attack.
15
Q
Ir David
A
Ir David was in a fragile state. David removes any control pocket. Wide valleys, more rain, far from threats. 15 acres. 1200 people. Regal-ritual city, a place for the palace and temple and workers in both. He fixed the walls, recaptured the Ark of the Covenant and brought it to Jerusalem.
Common practice in ancient near east to make it his city when he conquers it; Ir david rebranding was typical
16
Q
Carbon dating
A
Carbon dating-we have the same amount of carbon in our bodies but we stop when we die and radioactive carbon begins to die - halflife 5740 years
Cant carbon date stone or pottery but can do anything that was once alive
Olive pits used a lot
17
Q
Stepped stone structure
A
The Metzudat Zion is another name for the stepped stone structure. The Stepped Stone Structure holds up the mountain, but when joined together with to make the palace. Stepped Stone Structure is 12 stories high, going down Kidron Valley.
Stepped stone structure excavated long time ago–house is from time of chizkiyahu but the structure itself must’ve been holding up an important building. Speculated that it was metzudat tzion fortress. stepped stone structure were integrated into david’s palace (mazar’s theory)
18
Q
Eilat Mazar and Discovery of David’s Palace
A
Large Stone Structure–From area h kathleen kenyon found this palmette evidence of state govt; Eilat mazar noticed that and put it together with the pasuk bc they were looking in canaanite jerusalem but mazar argues–he went “down” to the fortress–maybe the palace is outside the city and david wouldnt knock down people’s houses to build his palace–found large stone structure, probably David’s palace
Shmuel 2: 8:17–David goes south from his palace to fortress to fight phlishtim
Mazar noticed in Kenyon’s field research that there was a stone capital with a palm design. Found a block (smooth stone) carved with a palm design. She went to Tanach and read the part where Dovid went down to Metzudat Tzion, from that she was able to say that everyone has been looking in the wrong places.
David had built a city palace north of the city, he knew that the city was going to expand to the north, so he built it a little north of Ir David.
When she dug in Ir Dovid, she found enormous foundation stones —> proof.
She published that right away right as Finkelstein was about the publish his work.
Just north of Metzudat Tzion, called it large stone building which is the palace. There’s also the step stone structure which holds up the mountain but the two are joined together to make the palace — the step stone structure is 12 stories high, going down the Kidron Valley
19
Q
theory before Mazar
A
Dovid was a tribal chief.
20
Q
building material ancient israel
A
Basic building material in ancient Israel was sun dried mud brick (very cheap). You put the mud brick into forms and let it dry in the sun. Stone foundation with mud bricks, mud bricks touching the ground would make the rain able to destroy it easily.
Monumental archeology is stone
21
Q
BHMK
A
Beis HaMikdash
Jerusalem gains regional status and doubles in population and size. He’s rich and the city was doing well.
He used Phoenician allies/Tyre cedar (good builders) to build the Beis HaMikdash.
It took 7 years to build Temple, and 13 years to build the larger palace, but kept it close to the temple because he wanted his temple to be an expansion of the Beis HaMikdash.
The Beit Hamikdash was a tri-part temple, with Ulam, Dvir, and Heichal.
It fortified Mt. Moriah by expanding the old walls. The Aron was moved into the Beit Hamikdash. The Aron was believed to have rested on a depression rock made of limestone, the Dome of the Rock.
There’s no evidence of Shlomo’s palace, or the Beis HaMikdash because it was rebuilt, (can’t excavate now because Muslims).
18x13meters, limestone
Temple plan is a tripartite (three parts). Standard plan for the times.
Rectangular Depression on Mt. Moriah, believed the Aron was there. His palace was made out Ashlar stone, and built Bit-Hilani style.
22
Q
3 parts of BHMK
A
Three parts are ulam (courtyard), heichal (main room), and the Dvir (Holy of Holies). No archeological evidence of this edifice.
Shlomo’s Temple is innovative. Heichal comes from Sumerian. E.Gal means “great room.” Sumerian to Akkadian and Akkadian to Hebrew. Cubit is a foot and a half. Heichal was 20 cubits wide and 40 cubits long. Main building height is 30 cubits. Temple was 60X20. Ulam has extra space so add 10. No archeological evidence of the structure, but there are archeological parallels.
23
Q
Archaeological Parallels
A
Tel Tayinat
‘Ain Dara
24
Q
Tel Tayinat
A
South East Turkey. Located near Orontes river near the Turkish-Syrian border. Two monumental buildings: temple and palace
Temple:
Has two pilllars, known as a tripartite kind of temple (meaning it has 3 rooms), entrance is on the short side, dates after the time period of Shlomo (perhaps inspired by his temple, dimensions and proportions are similar)
Later on a second temple was found
Two temples are necessary to pray to another being, found many gold, iron, bronze items, most incredible thing found there: cuneiform tablets, originally written for sumerian, written in akkadian, found in the Dvir wealth of ritual paraphernalia - Libation vessels, gold, silver, oil.
25
‘Ain Dara
Located in south west Syria, Temple is from the 10th century — same as Shlomo Ha’Melech. Had steps approaching platform. Flanked by two columns. In the courtyard had a large stone basin like in Shlomo’s. They had cherub structures. 3ft Long Footprints in stone leading to the temple.
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Water Gate/Layout and Activities
Northern entrance to city was a commercial area. Meetings, trades, announcements, prophets. Storage rooms. There were outer and inner gate houses. Cistern outside the gate. The outer gate also had a projecting tower, this gate we know today. Gates were the hub of activity, where people congregate.
Gates had 3 parts:
Outer-gate house (some chambers there, also had a road that led into the gate)
Watergate complex (open area within gate complex)
Inner-gate house (leads into the city itself)
27
cistern
Cisterns practical way to make water more convenient.
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Rechavam
Under Rechavam, son of Shlomo, civil war and Israel splits away from Judah
-Israel in the beginning is rather hostile. It’s not growing , in a very defensive mode, north is more prosperous. Judah is more isolated, and doesn’t really prosper like the north does. Kingdom of Israel is more concerned with fighting with tother, and things calm down. There is marriage between Israel and Judah.
Shlomo died, his son, Rechavam took over. Still building so labor tax. People want him to stop the tax, but he didn’t. People appointed Yeruvam, (not from the Davidic line). Kingdom split north and south. Yeruvam’s North= Kingdom of Israel (capital Shomron). Rechavam South=Kingdom of Judah (Jerusalem.) The north tribe had 2 mini temples (in place of the Temple in Jerusalem.) in Don and Beit El (at the 2 ends of the new Israel kingdom). Jews weren’t attached to Jerusalem as the spiritual center, bc BHMK wasn’t around for long enough. Jerusalem/Judah/South lost power and got poor because it borders no one. Judah/Israel/North got power and rich because they bordered countries so trade. The 2 kingdoms had war for 50 years until mutual enemy - Aram.
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Athalia
She is an Israelite princess who marries the Judahite prince Jehoram(not the one who becomes king) When Jehoram dies, he is succeeded by his son Ahaziah and when he dies she takes over. She tries killing all her grandchildren.
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Encounter with Assyria
Everyone knows what Assyrians do to people. Jerusalem will now become a big city. Israel brings technological know-how. Getting refugees from Israel as Assyria attacks Israel whose practice is more syncretistic (two religious traditions blended).
31
Yeshayahu advising Chizkiyahu
The Navi Yeshayahu advises Chizkiyahu. Chizkiyahu wants to rebel. Why? Doesn’t like paying taxes. Why collect money and send it to the enemy? He is a vassal. Wants political independence. Stops paying tribute and attacks. Advised by Yeshayahu to rebel
Yeshayahu HaNavi influences Chizkiyahu religiously. Yeshayahu enforces no idols and to celeb He tells C to rebel and not be a vassal to Ashur. C knows that if he does this he has to prepare for a siege in 3 ways.
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Sencheriv
Sancherib rules Assyria til 681, waging successful campaign from north. After he destroys lachish he heads toward jerusalem.
Sencharibs inscriptions
Archaeology
Melachim 2 and yishayahu
Prism: Rassam cylinder/prism of sennacherib that are inscribed with history from this time (see Annals of Sennacherib)
Writings on the prisms were about the siege and that he conquered many cities and he was successful, and after Jerusalem, he was going to go to Egypt.
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Jerusalem under Chizkiyahu
During the times of Chizkiyahu Jerusalem expanded. The refugees from the north fill it in.
Chizkiyahu centralizes Jerusalem as the place of worship. Purify Judaism from idolatrous elements. Religious reforms. Israel goes through 100 years of economic growth. Growing. Trading.
Chizkiyahu expects Sancherib to come (since he rebelled against Sancherib). Knows it's going to take some time to come. Since Jerusalem has expanded, he needs to fortify the new parts. How does Chizkiyahu prepare for war? He builds a new wall for the expanded city. He diverts the water of the spring to a pool. Makes sure there is enough food and water to survive (good archaeological evidence).
34
Broad wall
Broad wall remains in the Old City found from Chizkiyahu’s time. Founded after 1967. Uncovered a huge portion of the wall.
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LMLK handles
Found some “Lemelech” seals. If one is making a siege, they need food and water (able to get water easily). Created a system for storing food. State sponsored storage vessels. Found at least 2,000 of these stamps for the siege. Names of four cities on it. Each vessel (storage jars) typically weighed around 50-80 pounds. Likely only one strong guy would lift it. Probably buried them in the ground to stay cool (and because they can’t stand on their own). That was the first thing Chizkiyahu did, gather provisions.
36
Water tunnel
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Chizkiyahu made a tunnel from the Gichon spring (down the slope, Kidron) to the Silwan pool (lower part, Central) (incredible engineering feat.) Goes by Ir David. Built completely underground (couldn’t really see where they were building). Gravity transports the water. About a third of a mile. Change of elevation from the spring to the pool. Done by a team of two. One team started at the pool, the other at the spring, they worked toward each other. If you touch the wall, you can feel the difference of the chisel marks. We know this because of an inscription they found inside. Had to carve niches where they could put their lamps (no natural light).
Chizkiyahu’s numbers.
Date of Construction: 701 BCE
Length: 1,750 feet (⅓ mile)
Direct Distance: About 1,000 feet
Entrance: Gichon Spring
```
The inscription is by the exit of the Silwan Pool. Founded in 1909 by the Parker expedition. Ktav Ivri. The original was cut out by the Ottomans and is in Istanbul. Goal was to divert the waters so the Assyrians could not have access to it. Concealed the entrance to the water. Area of water is inconvenient. Central Valley was more convenient. Inscription was written by an engineer. Literacy is higher than it was in Egypt and Mesopotamia (if an engineer can write). Recounts the exciting moment when the tunnel was completed.
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transmigration
when they conquered a city- deport people all over Assyria to build it.
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Assyrian Approach to Conquest and Empire
Assyrians were builders. Used transmigration, when they conquered a city- deport people all over Assyria to build it. They aim for world domination and conquer Judah and Israel. They speak and write acadian. They turn the conquered states into a vassal (puppet king: if the king will not cooperate , put someone else. Doesn’t usually last long.) or a province, and set up their own ruler. Assyrian governor that will rule. Goes from: vassal - puppet king - vassal.
Assyrian imperial policy make people dependent on state take away external ties and rely on state for survival/take away their resources/farmland
39
language/alphabet of Assyria
Everyone along the Mediterranean coast from Judah to Damascus(ancient Aram) were writing in cuniform (also called Neo-Assyrian: it’s the dialect) which was easier than Akkadian. Assyrians want 1 empire, and with many languages, they adopt the alphabet to make it easier. The first people they reached was Damascus which was Aram, so they adopted the alphabet of Aramaic, and spread it. They changed the font of the letters (Ketat Ashuri) from (ketat Ivri – first temple period).They created their own font. Ultimately, Ashur turn Israel into a province (721BCE) – conquest of Israel.
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Yoshiyahu life story
He made religious reforms to his kingdom (because he found a scroll which inspired him.) He rid Jerusalem of Syncretism and idolatry. Pesach is reinstated. Later, when Assyria falls, he expands Judah north and west. From 612-609, Judah is technically under Babylonian control because Babylonia conquered Assyria. In 609, the Egyptian King comes to fight Babylonians, Yoshiyahu confronts him (we don’t know why), and Yoshiyahu is killed. The Egyptian King eventually takes over control of the Judah. In 605-538 Judah is back under Babylonian control when Persian conquer.
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Yoshiyahu analysis
In 625 Bavel threw off the yoke of Ashur. Ashur has no more control over Bavel. Bvael becomes independent. Same time as Yoshiyahu. Yoshiyahu knows Assyria is weakening. Yoshiyahu expands his territory (pushes up north). Very successful king. In 622 he began to repair the Temple. During the renovation is when the scroll is found by the Cohen Gadol. Yoshiyahu reads the scroll out loud to the people and he initiates reforms (whatever Menashe did he removed/overturned it). Gets rid of bad things that Menashe did. Burns Baal. Abolishes rural shrines. Expands Judah up to the kingdom of Israel (expands northward). Destroys the shrines of Beit-El and Shomron. Expanding and becoming more frum. Reigns for 31 years (started at eight years old). Same time while Assyria is declining while Bavel is rising. In 612 Bavel conquered Ashur. Yoshiyahu does not know Bavel (knows Ashur).
Yoshiyahu had this passion against Egypt because of something he read in the scroll. Didn’t want them to control. Feared that if Egypt defeated Bavel, that Israel would come under Egyptian control (meaning slaves).
Yoshiyahu was able to expand because Assyria was weak. Yoshiyahu confronts Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo. who is on his way to fight the Bablyonias (the way to get there was through Israel). Yoshiyahu gets strong feelings. Yoshiyahu did not want to become slaves again. Yoshiyahu is killed by Pharaoh Neco.
42
Yoshiyahu's religious reforms
Yoshiyahu collected Pillar Figurines from people and buried them in Favissae - sacred burial pits. They were female figurines made of clay with breasts. These common household rituals; said to be figurines of fertility, or lactation because of breasts - hoping to help kids reach 5 years (They were not thought to be idols because made of cheap material?) Also thought to be an Assyrian figurine, as the molds have Phoenician influence.
Horse with sun-disc: Yoshiyahu collected horse sundisk idols that the kingis of Judah set up in front of the Bet Hamikash in the honor of the sun. They were found in a second sacred burial pit.
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Burials: Ketef Hinnom
Burials:
There was a need for a new burial ground for people. He made a burial chamber in Ketef Hinnom, which was able to fit many people in one chamber. (Each family would have their own burial chamber and there would be dead people laid out, unburied, on top, and underneath there would a repository with good like pottery and jewelry. After the dead bodies were dead for a long time and decomposed, their bones would be placed in the repository and a new dead body would be put in its place, on top of the repository). Sometimes tombs were robbed of its grave goods. Around 1,000 objects were found inside, including 2 silver amulets (which contained Birchas Kohanim written on it)- first old copy of biblical texts.
44
Ketef Hinnom amulets
Amidst Yoshiyahu, they found thin layers of silver foil that were rolled with a hole in the middle to be worn as necklaces. Found two silver amulets rolled to be hung by a string around the neck. Process of unrolling is very delicate. Slowly unrolled in a temperature controlled room and glass plates. Took a while to unroll. Took three years to unroll it (roll a little, then let it rest, and repeat). After unrolling it, they found writing on it. One was found 7cm above the floor (far down). Second one was found while sifting. Ketef Chinnom amulets. Both embedded in pottery from the 6th/7th centuries. Read them. Ktav Ivri. First one is 27X97ml. First one has part of the blessing of Birkat HaCohanim. Second one is smaller (half an inchX1/2 inch). It says the blessing of Birkat Cohanim! Some people wear silver necklaces with this bracha today! This is the oldest existing copy/writing of anything written in the Torah.
45
Babylonian Conquest approach
Babylonian conquest resulted in mass deportations of the elite to Bavel so that the capital would grow, destroying every region they conquered. The Babylonians conquered and ended the Assyrian rule; so Jerusalem becomes a vassal to Bavel. They allow the people they exile to keep the lifestyle they lived, encouraging them to contribute to society and make it succeed. Babylonian empire lasts 65 years.
Babylonians come as destroyers, not conquers.
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Nevuchadnetzar
King of Bavel, conquers Judah, deports the elite to his empire. He destroys Jerusalem, Beis HaMikdash, ending Jewish life there. Jerusalem is uninhabitable and emptiness remains.
Nebuchadnetzar attacked Jerusalem from the northwest corner. all enemies come from the north--weakest spot because there are no natural defenses. The Babylonians made a breach in the wall big enough to let them in, and then they went in and destroyed it. After the Temple is destroyed, its game over. Yehudah now becomes a vassal to Bavel, but it's not much. Population declines to about 90%. 10% of them stay. Lots of Babylonian arrowheads were found in Jerusalem. Iron arrowheads. Big finds. Hard to find ancient iron, because it doesn’t preserve. Eventually the Babylonians destroy the whole city. Remains of rooms that were burnt on the easrten slope. They never reoccupied the slopes after.
47
Babylonian conquest of Jews--what did this usually mean? What was different for Jews?
In the ancient Near East, once two groups went to war, if one temple fell, then their leader lost, and the winners would take the temple vessels. Babylonians also destroyed the Philistines and deported them. They adapted to their religion. Their religion was dead. Jews think differently. G-d is punishing us, and He is using the Babylonains as His agent.
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Yirmiyahu
Once disaster strikes, after Yirmiyahu predicted this situation, and told them not to rebel, he becomes the comforter. Yirmiyahu makes it clear, “We can serve G-d from an alien land.” You can be a Jew without living in Yehudah and without a Temple. This was not heard of before. Yimriyahu says to go plant and settle. Also, “no one will miss the Aron. It's gone. One day the exiles will return.”
49
Lachish letters
From this Time Period, they found a piece of pottery called an ostracon (poetry pieces that were broken, and they save the flatter pieces as paper). The ostracon was found in Lachish (second most important city after Jerusalem). Sancherib destroyed it in 701. Lots of destruction. Babylonians attack in again. This ostracon has 21 letters. On letter number four it says, ‘we no longer see Azika.’ Saying the man saw that Azika is destroyed. Also says that a prophet was discouraging them. Yirmiyahu. ‘He is discouraging the soldiers.’ Lachish falls.
Writings on pottery in Lachish that date to this time. Lachish was the 2nd to last city to fall to the Babylonians (Jerusalem was last). These letters had pictures of fire, portraying the destruction. One had a warning that something was coming, and another mentions a prophet (Yirmiyahu), who was discouraging people.
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Yehoyakim:
Yoshiyahu killed, his brother Yehoyakim became king of Judah by Egypt. (Pharaoh Neco puts Yehoacahz as king. Doesn’t last long. Gets him out and put him in Egypt. Then puts Elyaim (Yehoyakim) in charge.) But when Babylon besieged Jerusalem, Yehoyakim dies. He was a fan of Yirmiyahu.
51
Yehoyachin:
Yehoyakim’s son who took over kingship of Judah, but when the Babylonians invade Jerusalem, he was captured and deported with everyone else. Ruled for short. Documents were found in Bavel that King Yeoyachin of Judah and his 5 sons, 5 years after he was deported to Bavel - this shows us that he did not suffer, he was allowed to keep his title, wives, children, and was supported in Bavel.
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Zedekiah:
King of Judah after Yehoyachin by Babylonians. Yehoyachin’s uncle. He rebelled Nebuchadnezzer although Yirmiyahu warned that Bavel would destroy Jerusalem, and they shouldn’t have war. Yirmiyahu was captured by Zidkiyah, because he was discouraging troops from fighting. He stayed there until Babylonia destroyed Jerusalem, and freed him. Zidkiyahu tried to flee but was captured by the Babylonians and they killed his sons in front of him, blinded and exiled him.
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Mitzpeh
Jerusalem is uninhabitable. Settlements north of Jerusalem. Mitzpeh grows--the city in which Gedalya lived. It became the center of refuge for the Jews. The walls were strengthened there. They just wanted to survive.
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Gedalya
Babylonians put Gedalyah as governor. Gedalyah tries to establish autonomy. Yirmiyahu is for him. The people or not, He is not from the Davidic line. Yishmael from the Davidic line kills him. The people flee to the north and south.
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Babylon city life
Bavel life wasn’t bad. The exiled were better off then the remained. No persecution, they had their families, food, and land. Baval was a beautifully built city, nicer than Jerusalem. Jews built lives there, assimilated and got Babylonian names. Yehoyachin is in the court. Many Jews tried not to assimilate. It was a multicultural, tolerant society. Yechezkel, who was in the first batch of deportees was part of “confronting the existential crisis” of what it means to be a Jew out of Jerusalem with no BHMK. God appears to Yecheskel in Tel Abib, Babylon. Meaning God went into exile with the Jews. This was convenient for the Jews in exile, but bad for Jews left in Israel. Even though no new people were brought in by Babylonians to Israel, Jews in Israel were poor.
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Babylon architecture
Documents find around 579. Found a vaulted chamber, maybe the hanging gardens? Found a document that talked about supplying oil for Yehoyachin! What is Bavel like when they get there? Bavel is magnificent. An incredible city. Built by Nebuchadnetzar. 50-60 miles south of Baghdad. Cover at least 200 acres. Two sets of walls. Moat. Canals. Bridges. Gateway. Palaces. Ziggurats. Temples. Cheaper to ship than go through land, because it was cheaper and more stuff could be sent at a time by sea. Ishtar Gate. Currently in Berlin (rebuilt using the original bricks, reduced in size). Took probably around 40 years to build. Ishtar is the leader of love and war. Blue with animals (lions, mushushu).This was the major ceremonial entrance. So when the judaites came to Bavel, it's most likely they passed through this gate. Gate made out of mud brick. Overtime, mud brick crumbles. A German team to Bavel to excavate at the end of the 19th century. They gathered all the bricks they could find, put them in crates, and shipped them to Berlin. Mound of bricks was around 20 meters high. Filled nearly 800 crates of bricks. Did they leave anything in Bavel? The gate. Foundation level gates (below ground) that are somewhat decorated. Foundations have animals on it, but not glazed. It helped the people of Berlin rebuild the gates. Blue is the color of divinity. Color of night sky, sea, and the abyss, where divine rest. The blue colors change throughout the day based on the lighting (sun). Precessional had lions on them. 60 of them. The lions stride out (faced as if they are leaving). So people are walking to snarling lions. They set it up (unfired), take it down, fired it, then reassembled it. City has around 55 temples. Polythesitic society. Each leader needs their home. They speak Aramaic (easy language for Judaites to understand). Jew began to settle.
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Al-lahudu
Tell al-lahudu Tablets. Cuneiform. From the times of Nebuchadnetzar and 100 years later. About 100 of these. Currently in Israel. Tells us Jews are participating in the legal world of Bavel (voluntarily). Pocket sized. More of a rural area. Since each tablet is dated (and we can tell its date), we learn that none of the tablets were written on Shabbat or yontif! Some things the tablets say. Name of a Jeiwsh town. Identified by their defeated kingdom. Do not consider themselves immigrants, but as deportees. They don’t plan to stay. Jewish names listed (names with G-d’s Name in it ex: Daniel). Many of these names are identified. Not halachic texts. How do we know what life was like in Bavel for Jews? Yechezkel lived there. The tablets tell us. Some gave children Babylonian names. Some gave children Jewish names (first time as a tradition).
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Bit Murashu:
Cuneiform archive found in Nepur, a very Jewish town in Bavel. Consists of extensive business records and mundane transactions. Gives a sense of what life was like during that time. Of the document, about 30% have non-Babylonian names, rather these are Jewish names. They date back to the 5th century.
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Cyrus
Cyrus: ambitious Persian king who conquered the Babylonian Empire. The Persian empire was a very diverse, strong and prosperous empire. Multi-ethnic empire.
Cyrus falls in battle in 530.
Cyrus on the maternal side is the grandson of the king of Madai (Media). He rebels against his grandfather (for power). Then becomes king of Persia and Madai (unites them). Then attacks Bavel. Integrates the Persian tribes. Persians rode on horses. Before that were chariots. Issues the Edict of Cyrus.
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Cyrus motives
Why does Cyrus do this? Not just because he was a good guy. Fosters good will among the people. Giving the people the choice to return. The Babylonians exiled the west, so wanted to help repopulate the west (free choice). The people from there are more likely to go back. By doing this, the people will be loyal to him. He specifically says they go back to rebuild their temples. Cyrus is a polytheist--Also hedging bets as polytheist and enabling taxes through new temples. Two things a king does. Fights and builds. The more leaders on his side the better. Temples were also the repository for taxes. “You rebuild your temples, and that's where the taxes go.” Has no issue returning the vessels to others (See Ezra). They don’t impose the Persian language, Aramaic is the main language. Vassals. Vassals give soldiers and tribute. As long as the vassals paid, they would be fine. The more the empire built up, the more support they would get. Good ties with Israel, because if they want to conquer more (Egypt), they must go through Israel. Israel is also a good way to fuel up.
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1st wave returnees
(538 BCE)
First returnees of Cyrus come back to Israel. Most of the people who return to Israel were born in exile. Might have been a confusing surrounding for them (ruins opposed to wealth). Encountered lots of difficulties when they got there. They see the small group of people who stayed. Population was around 2,000-3,000 people (David’s time). Slowly begins to recover.
led by Sheshbazzar
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Sheshbazzar
shocked when he gets to Jerusalem, because it was completely desolate. A small amount of people join him - around 2500-3000 people.
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culture clash--1st returnees
life was better in Bavel and the remnants were not happy to see them. The experience of exile affected the community, so there was a clear separation. The remnants and samaritans were down to help rebuild the Temple, but for the incomers, there was now a lot more to Judaism than just rebuilding the Temple. They did not approve of intermarriage, or building on holidays which the remnants did. Therefore, tried to obstruct the building. Many Jews left Jerusalem and settled in other settlements around the area where they would be more comfortable.
The 10% that stayed aren’t happy to see others who came back. They thought they were the real Jews. The exiles have to confront them. After 50 years, the remnants integrated with the other remnants (Philistines, Samaritans…) all were farmers. Nothing to fight over. Before rebuilding the Temple, they have to rebuild their lives. A lot who return don’t want to live in Jerusalem, and move up north. Don’t hear more of this community until Darius.
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Cyrus Cylinder
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Cyrus Cylinder (AKA Edict of Cyrus) : A tablet written by Cyrus in cuneiform telling all the exiles that they're allowed to go back to where they came from and rebuild their temples.
He earned the gratitude of his subjects and believed he would earn divine favor from all the gods as well, because of this. He gives back the loot from the Temple to the Jews so they can rebuild. He encouraged difference among people. He did not impose Persian language. The language of this text parallels what is written in Ezra.
Puts an end formally to the exile. Found in 1879 in Bavel. Currently in England. Cuneiform. Similar to what is written in Ezra and Nechemiah with some changes. Blanket invitation for exiles to go to their homelands and to rebuild their lives there. This marks the restoration of Judah. Also signifies Cyrus as a human rights activist.
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Darius
Annexes Hodu, organized the empire by dividing it up into provinces and appointed a governor for each one. Jews were given religious autonomy under Cyrus and Darius, but not political freedom,. He connected roads, made sure they were safe, set up system of taxation, and introduced monetary unit - Daric coins. Coins really take off during Persian period.
He makes about 20 satraps (small provinces)
Jerusalem was given the opportunity to mint coins
Gives persian view of ideology of empire
Persians view empire as pitting good vs evil
V much believed that ruler was divine
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Zerubavel
He was the grandson of the last king of Judah. He led the 2nd wave to Jerusalem. He bought Phoenician wood and hired people to build the Temple (515) and rededicated the altar on Mt. Moriah. We don't know what happened to him at the end of his life, he just disappeared.
puppet Jewish king of the Jews
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Re-Building of 2nd Temple (515 BCE) / Samaritans
Local samaritans wanted to now join in on this sacred mission, and offered to help, but the returned Jews now practiced a different Judaism and did not accept them. The Persian governor stopped the building in Jerusalem and it is said that this is because the locals bribed him to. King Darius made a decree to allow the Jews to rebuild the Temple. After the Temple was rededicated, the Jews celebrate Pesach for the 1st time since the exile, the elders were overcome with tears, it was a fabulous moment.
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Haggai + Malachi--
How is it that ur sitting comfy in ur houses after i exiled u while bhmk is desolate. He takes these 2 guys and they go back to jerusalem and build.515 bce--bhmk rededicated
Taking too long to build the bhmk
re-building of 2nd Temple (515 BCE)
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Nechemiah
Jerusalem was small during Nechemiah’s time. He rebuilds the walls. Took 52 days to rebuild the walls. Babylonians didn’t destroy the entire wall (just needed a breach). The north needed the most work.
Re-building of City Walls
Was upset that the walls of Jerusalem have not been rebuilt yet, as that implies that it isn’t a functional city. He develops a plan for the architecture and gets people to help rebuild the wall by the Persian king, Artaxerxes I. (and it was gonna be HUGE).
He forces people to verbally accept the keeping of the Torah, no intermarriage, and Shabbat, and he closed the fish gates on Shabbat. This acceptance of observance was forced, but it needed to be, or no one was going to keep anything. Jerusalem at this time was tiny (only a little larger than David’s Jerusalem), and people lived there against their desires. He pretty much turned the city into a real, functioning city.
Nechemiah made a lottery where people would have to move to Jerusalem. Considered a pious act. Yehud has around 30,000 people. During Nechemiah’s time, it gradually gets bigger. Gains a political status. Becomes gradually the center of life in Judah. Fight between Jews who never left vs the one that came back continues.
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Xerxes I
Xerxes I rule starts when Socrates is born. Xerxes I was fighting a lot. In Judah Jews were doing well. People saw it as a rebellion that the Jews were rebuilding. So the work was stopped. The Persians find in their archives the Edict of Cyrus, saying they can rebuild their walls. Then they continued working. Xerxes I had a big personality. His son Aratxeres I takes over. Did not formulate a single law code for the empire. Wanted the people to be happy. Wanted support. Didn't want rebellion.
Son of Darius. He is said to be the king who is Achashverosh, because he had a personality that really enjoyed partying and having a good time.
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3rd Wave (445)
Artaxerxes on
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Artaxerxes I
Darius 1 grandson (Xerxes 1 son). He appoints Nechemia for a high status position. He allowed and supported Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem
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consequences of nechemiah's closing of fish gates
Nechemiah closes the fish gate on Shabbat (Stores. so they can’t violate Shabbat). Some follow, and some will not follow this new plan (Samaritans and some am Haaretz (people who never left)). The Samaritans move up north. They move to Har Gerizim and they build their own temple. Later on a Roman temple was built above it. Temple is destroyed during the Hasmonean Period and forgotten. Samaritans didn’t know there was a temple there until archeologists and records told them.
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4th wave/Ezra
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4th Wave (398)
Ezra? During time of Artaxerxes II?
Ezra’s return is around 458. To create one standard for the Jews as a whole. Artaxerxes II sends him to Jerusalem to survey where the situation religious-wise. Why would he send him?
If you want a stable yehud, you need a stable B’H. And had to make sure it was comparable. We give full credit to Ezra for developing the relationship between the persian legal system and the Jews. The jewish community from the perspective of Artaxerxes II is that they are good citizens, it is stable, did not care about their religion. Sees that this system is working in Bavel, so he sends him to judah to create this as well. There is religious autonomy for the jew- jews are bound by jewish law. The community has jewish autonomy, but the individual does not. Cannot be a secular jew at this time- it’s a modern concept. Religious center is in Jerusalem. A jew= someone who follows jewish law. It is all about instructing jews about the law/ and following it. Ezra bring an over-arching unity= judah and persia have the same laws. First temple judaism is dead.
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Jerusalem as temple-city
He (EZRA) also had a close relationship to the Persian elite king, Artaxerxes II. He was on a spiritual mission, He wanted to have more of a Jewish judge system enforced. Enforces intermarriages to break up, gets people to observe Sukkot. Second Temple Judaism looks very different than 1st Temple Judaism. It was Rabbinical, following Jewish law, not just if you lived in Israel or not. The community had religious autonomy, but individuals did not. And for over 2,000 years it remained.
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Elephantine
There was a Jewish army in the Elephantine island in Egypt (possibly since Assyrian times). Letters and documents found (marriage, manumiation (slave becoming free)...). Aramaic and written on papyrus (rare). Shilahs and Shuvas (Q and As). Elephantine is the Greek translation of Yeb, elephants. Also elephant ivory was distributed from here. Found wood. Rare, since the area is dry. Scribes pallet (with reeds). Papyrus letters sent to Jerusalem. According to these, women could inherit property and could not get divorce without their permission. Ktav ashuri. Letters are dated (end of 5th century). The Passover Letter.
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State of Yehud/coins
As the Persians would lose control over provinces, the Jews developed their own sort of independent state: Yehud. The state revolved around the Temple, was ruled by Torah law and governed by cohanim who were descendants of Zadok.
Yehuda coins that expressed nationalism. Meaningful things were put on the coins such as eagles and lily’s. These ideas were borrowed from Athenian and Phoenician coins. They were small denominations and dealt with daily transactions
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Pompey-
invited into Jerusalem by Hyrcanus II to defeat Aristobulus by besieging the temple for 3 months by breaking in from the North. He destroyed fortifications, abolished the monarchy, confiscated most of the maccabean kingdom and appointed Hyrcanus as high priest. 12,000 Jews are killed Saw inside the holy of holies. The foreigners did not understand the Jew’s relationship with the temple. He was not trying to provoke the Temple mount! He was doing what his culture did- everyone could enter the temple They thought there was a fluidity of gods; Zeus/Jupiter had the same role! They also weren’t so strict about religion. Pompey goes into the temple, not realizing his faux pas! From 63-1948 there is no Jewish autonomy/no Jewish independent state. At this time people who were forced to convert or die under the hasmoneans have the opportunity to “unconvert”. Takes down the walls of Jerusalem
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Antipater-
rewarded for his support to Hyrcanus by Pompey, and he is put in control of Judea; then has so much power! He is a shrewd ruler, respected by the Jews though he was a recent convert. He knew he owed his power to rome! He would adroitly switch sides when a ruler fell from power! Pompey is defeated in 49 by Julius Caesar, and Antipater switches sides right before then. He is rewarded as being the head prefect of Jerusalem and allowed to rebuild the walls that Pompey had pulled down. Gets the Jezreel Valley through Meggido and the port at Yaffo. His two sons are appointed as district commissioners. Herod gets the Galili and Phasael gets Judea
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Alexander the Great
October of Year 333: King Darius III lost to Alexander the Great (Hellenistic Greeks) along the River Issus
This is the first time the structure of Jerusalem drastically changes since the 1st Temple era. The Jews were very ingrained in Persian culture, as they were vassals to Persia for over 200 years. Thus, Hellenism was quite a shock.
Josephus writes that the Kohen Gadol initially refused to submit to Alexander because he was so loyal to the last Persian king, but changes his mind after a dream assures him that it will be alright because the Jews will still have religious autonomy. This story is significant because it shows that the Jewish relationship with Greek culture was complex - There were Jews that were completely traditional, completely hellenistic, or a “modern orthodox” type that believed the two cultures could be synthesized. When Jews lost more of their rights however, the “modern orthodox” type skewed more towards tradition.
The Macedonian Conquest did not drastically alter Jewish life.
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Alexander's death and Greek influence on Judah
Year 323: Alexander dies in Bavel. Up until this point, Greek life is unfamiliar to Jews in the region. Alexander’s only heir is a minor, so all of his generals begin to fight for power in the land. This creates instability in Jerusalem.
Year 301: After the fighting and conquering done by various generals, the land is divided into three parts: Egypt controlled by Ptolemy, Syria controlled by the Seleucids, and there was another general in Europe. Technically, the Seleucids would have controlled Israel but the Ptolemies take it over without causing much of a conflict. The Ptolemies only interfered in the coastal cities (and not in most places), so assumingly, day-to-day life still didn’t change much at this point for the Jews.
Egypt loses its independence. The Greeks who take over it want to adapt the aspects that made Egyptian life great and “go local,” so they retain a lot of Egyptian cultural symbols.
Elements of Greek culture seep into Judah. All Greek Poli shared certain common public buildings. These public buildings united the cities throughout the empire together. Jerusalem did not meet the structural requirements of a Greek Polis, however as more Jews started giving their kids a Greek education and Greek names, the political scene of Jerusalem became very Greek-intertwined.
Jerusalem lacked an Acropolis - a fortress of a city-state usually on high ground that can be defended if city is under attack.
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Tobiads vs Oniads
The Tobiads were a Jewish family that was connected to the Greeks because they served as tax collectors in Jerusalem and developed a close relationship with Ptolemy. Leader: Tobias, Family: Tobiads
The Kohen Gadol’s name was Onias and his followers were the Oniads. The Oniads were interested in come Greek ideal but were also Kohanim, so they were interested in maintaining the ritual purity of the Beit HaMikdash. The Oniads developed a relationship with the Seleucids.
End of the 3rd Century BCE: The Seleucids conquered Israel.
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Antiochus
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King Antiochus (not the same one from Chanukah) commissioned Jewish scribes to write up a Jewish charter that issued them as an ethnic group. The Charter basically validated Jewish leadership, saying that the Torah would continue to be the law of the land and the Sanhedrin its governing body. Also, that only Jews would be allowed in the inner court of the Beit HaMikdash. Because Antiochus commissioned for this charter to be written, many Jews became supportive of Greek education ideals. People didn’t believe that Greek culture was so against Jewish culture.
Antiochus III is defeated by the Roman army. They allowed him to keep the throne but with a heavy tribute. As a result, the Antiochus line was kept relatively short on money. His successor Selecis IV felt he had the right to control the BHM’s finances mainly because people were already paying taxes for the BHM and he greedily wanted a cut. He tried to collect some of the money issued in the charter from the Greeks. He was Greek and Greeks didn’t understand the sensitivity Jews had about non-Jews going up to the BHM. Josephus writes that when he tried to go up to the Temple Mount to collect the money, he had some sort of paralytic fit and didn’t make it up, as a hidden small victory for the Jews. From this point on, any attack on the BHM would start a riot in Jerusalem. This is when it became a hot political place (forever more).
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Seleucid politics:
Onias’ brother Yehoshua bribes the Greeks to be the next Kohen Gadol. This forces Onias to flee and he is eventually killed. Yehoshua wanted more hellenism.
Seleucid is killed by his brother Antiochus (The Chanukkah one). Yehoshua then gives another bribe with money from the BHM for Jerusalem to become a Polis. The infrastructure that was then built in order for Jerusalem to become a Polis was built provocatively close to the BHM. This also reverses what happened under the Persians.
Menelaus bribes Antiochus to become the next Kohen Gadol and Antiochus lets him even though he is not a Kohen at all according to the Book of Maccabees. Josephus writes that he was a Kohen but from the wrong family.
Yehoshua jumps back into the picture and tries to bribe himself over Menelaus to become Kohen Gadol, but Antiochus Epiphanies interprets this as a rebellion and ends up just coming to Jerusalem and stealing things from the BHM treasury.
After all of this corruption, the Polis ordeal is over and the Romans no longer care whether Jerusalem is/isn’t a Polis. Now they just want to invade.
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Herod's beginning
Year 44: Julius Caesar is killed, and then Antipater is killed by someone else (a family enemy).
Herod and his brother watch Rome carefully. They switch sides in order to support Marc Anthony when he starts a war to avenge Caesar’s murder.
Year 40: Romans temporarily lost control of the land to the Partheons and installed the Chashmonaim as the leaders.
Herod escapes to Rome and convinces the leader that he was the one who can keep the Partheons at bay and recapture Judea.
Herod recaptures Jerusalem and at his request, has Marc Anthony kill the Chashmonaim leader Antigonus.
The Pharisees support Herod but the majority of the population supports the Chashmonaim.
Herod married a Chashmonaim princess and appointed his brother-in-law (The princess’ brother) as Kohen Gadol. This was a mistake for Herod because it instilled false hope in the Chashmonaim supporters (who happened to be the majority). Once he realized this, he killed his brother-in-law and appointed someone else as Kohen Gadol. Herod kept the Kohen Gadol’s clothes locked up except for on holidays in order to keep the people from getting too hopeful.
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Akra
Greeks invaded on shabbat, when Jews would not fight back. They build a new fortress overlooking Har Habayit called the Akra. The Akra’s placement gave it power over the BHM and cut off the BHM from the rest of the city.
The Akra was a military citadel built by Antioch to supervise the city of Jerusalem. Housed soldiers and the very hellenized Jews. A tipping point for non-hellenized Jews as they felt the Temple was now under literal supervision.
Where was it? Running theories: 1. It was in the Givati parking lot- disputed because thats geographically lower than the Temple Mount and the purpose was to supervise. 2. Across from the Temple Mount as a building full of weaponry dated to this time period was found 3. The fave: supported by Leen Rittenmeyer: along the southern wall of the Beit Hamikdash. Proof: along the eastern wall there is a sharp seamline of stone. on one side is Hellenistic stone and on the other is Herodian stone. The temple mount was expanded in the Hasmonean period to the south, Potentially to bury the Akra. Think of it this way, the temple mount was expanded and it ate the Akra.
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Herod on other religions
Herod supported other religions. In honor of other religions he built: Temples to Greek and Roman gods in non-Jewish areas, A temple in Shomron and Caesarea both in honor of Augustus, and Pagan temples in the city (NOT Jerusalem - he put these Pagan temples mostly on Chashmonai sites.)
Caesarea is not a natural harbor. In order to build it, Herod used a type of cement that hardened under water that the Romans invented.
Because Herod was so respected in the Pagan world, he became the President of the Olympic Games.
Ultimately, Herod made Jerusalem one of the most important cities in the eastern half of the Roman empire.
Herod built a big fortress to protect the northeast corner of Jerusalem and named it after Marc Anthony - the “Antonia Fortress.”
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Antonia Fortress
Antonia Fortress- biggest part is in the North of Jerusalem, probably where Nechemiah built his fortress. it was built on a rock that was 75 feet tall, and it rose 60 feet above the rock. it was surrounded by a deep moat named struthion. it guarded the Temple mount in the north, and there Herod constructed his own secret tunnel into the temple. It was a massive fortress, the slabs were polished and it was impossible to scale
The Antonia Fortress was a military barracks built around 19 BC by Herod the Great in Jerusalem on the site of earlier Ptolemaic and Hasmonean strongholds, named after Herod's patron Mark Antony. The fortress was built at the eastern end of the great wall of the city (the second wall), on the northeastern side of the city.
Year 23: Herod gains respect in Israel for the way he dealt with the recent famine. He provides people in economic crisis jobs so that he can rebuild the city. With these people, he builds:
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Other Herodian builds
the kotel
Builds himself a palace fortified by 3 towers, one of which is now the base of Migdal David.
Royal Stoa
Redesigns the streets of Jerusalem to be more grid-like.
Rebuilds the BHM according to the Torah so as not to antagonize the Jews - literally by getting 1,000 kohanim to be stone masons because they were the only ones able to work by the Heichal and Dvir areas. He doesn’t alter the basic layout - he alters the façade by expanding it south and west. It was a near-eastern Temple with a Roman Temple mount.
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Royal Stoa
– along the side of the temple.Was an ancient basilica (place used for public assemblies) constructed by Herod the Great during his renovation of the Temple Mount at the end of the 1st century BCE. Probably Herod's most magnificent secular construction, the three-aisled structure was described by Josephus as deserving "to be mentioned better than any other under the sun." it was awesome! A center of public and commercial activity. The Royal Stoa overlooked Jerusalem's residential and commercial quarters, and at its southwestern corner was the place from which a ram's horn was blown to announce the start of holy days.
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Herodian BHMK
Herod’s building of the BHM: Lebanese cedar forests were cut down and sailed down the coast
There were huge meeting spaces where anyone of any level of sanctity could enter, and signs up indicating where foreigners were allowed, or only cohanim ect. spaces got smalller and smaller as fewer people could enter the holier the place
In the south, the temple was reached by a monumental staircase passing through the double and triple gates to underground passages decorated with doves and flowers that led into the temple.
In the west, a monumental bridge, doubling as an aqueduct bringing water into huge hidden cisterns, stretched across the valley into the temple.
the eastern wall was stood the shushan gate, used exclusively by the high priest to progress to the mount of olives to sanctify the full moon, or to sacrifice the parah adumah/
he does not change anything of the temple itself, but makes the entrance really impressive and grand and roman. But he did put a golden eagle on the entrance- this is not ok! That’s so roman!
south- monumental staircase
north- antonia foretress
west- monumental bridge
east- shushan gate, for kiddush levana (on har hazeitim) or sacrifice parah adumah
Commonfolk entered the BHM through the southern wall.
The BHM was elevated right up to the pith so that when people walked up to it, they were literally making “aliyah.”
By the end of the Second Temple period, synagogues had developed in and outside of Israel: In Israel as Batei Midrash with hostel-like accommodations for travelers, and outside of Israel as prayer halls.
Many people brought their own animals to Jerusalem for korbanot instead of buying them there because they were way more expensive there (because Jerusalem was a tourist attraction). We know this because the isotopes in animal bones found in Jerusalem that reflect what the animals ate told a different story than what was expected to be found in animals from the area.
The Kotel was built during the Herodian era - it is made out of Herodian stone, as it is the marketplace wall of the 2nd Temple’s Mount.
When we say “May this place bring you comfort” to mourners today, it really came from this era when mourners would walk around the BHM.
When Herod died, he had already killed his wife and three of his sons, and while the BHM was complete, the Temple Mount was not. It took a few more generations after Herod’s death (80 years total and 80,000 workers) to finish constructing the Temple Mount. The Temple Platform was 35 acres of space.
Once the kingdom was passed to Roman prefects and the capital became Caesarea, both the Pharisees and the Kohanim opposed a Jewish monarchy because it would allow them to establish a strong, non-political Kohen Gadol and maintain a good relationship with the Romans.
Year 18: Caiaphas is appointed Kohen Gadol.
