Archaeologists find battle site where Romans breached Jerusalem walls

[Solomon2]

....[UNESCO] refers to Jerusalem's holiest site -- known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary -- only by its Muslim name...
Deputy Palestinian ambassador to UNESCO, Mounir Anastas, welcomed the decision on Tuesday. “This resolution reminds Israel that they are the occupying power in east Jerusalem, and it asks them to stop all their violations, especially in the fields of competence of UNESCO such as the excavations,” he told reporters -

Josephus: 'The beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city'
Archaeologists find battle site where Romans breached Jerusalem walls
Discovery confirms Josephus’s account of the conflict that saw destruction of Second Temple nearly 2,000 years ago, says Israeli Antiquities Authority
BY GAVIN RABINOWITZ October 20, 2016, 5:02 pm

The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem, by David Roberts, 1850. (Wikipedia/ Creative Commons

Israeli archaeologists found the site of a fierce battle where the Roman army bombarded and breached the walls of Jerusalem before conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple almost 2,000 years ago, officials said Thursday.

They said that the discovery, made last winter during an excavation of a construction site for the new campus of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design outside the Old City, also finally confirmed the description of the wall that was breached provided by the historian Josephus Flavius.


During the dig, the archaeologists found the remains of a tower surrounded by scores of stones and boulders fired by Roman catapults at the Jewish forces guarding the wall, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement.

“This is a fascinating testimony of the intensive bombardment by the Roman army, led by Titus, on their way to conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple,” the statement said.


The excavation site in the Russian Compound. One can see the sling stones on the floor, which are tangible evidence of the battle. (Yoli Shwartz/ Israel Antiquities Authority)

“The bombardment was intended to attack the sentries guarding the wall and provide cover for the Roman forces so they could approach the wall with battering rams and thereby breach the city’s defenses,” it said.


The boulders fired by Roman catapults at the Jewish defenders of the wall. (Yoli Shwartz/ Israel Antiquities Authority)

The part of the wall that was breached was known as the Third Wall. It was found in the area of modern Jerusalem known as the Russian Compound. According to accounts by Josephus, this part of the wall was designed to protect a new quarter of the city that developed outside the other two existing walls.

For much of the 20th century, scholars have been debating the route of this Third Wall and “the question concerning Jerusalem’s boundaries on the eve of the Roman onslaught,” the statement said. “It seems that the new discovery in the Russian Compound is proof of the wall’s existence in this area.”

In his “The War of the Jews,” Josephus describes the wall as follows: “… the beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city, and the tower Psephinus …It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts added to the old city with this wall, which had been all naked before.”


The 1st century Roman portrait bust said to be of Josephus, conserved in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, Denmark (Wikipedia/ Creative Commons)

The Third Wall had been completed as part of preparations by the Jews for the Great Revolt against Rome that began in 66 CE and ended in 70 CE when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed, and the rout heralded the start of nearly two thousand years of exile.

The excavation findings will be presented in a conference at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem later this month.

News of the discovery comes during a week in which Israel has been engaged in a fierce diplomatic spat with UNESCO, over a decision by the United Nations cultural body that Israel says ignores Jewish and Christian historical ties to Jerusalem’s holiest sites.

The resolution, passed last Thursday in the committee stage at UNESCO, referred to the Temple Mount and Western Wall only by their Muslim names and condemned Israel as “the occupying power” for various actions taken in both sites. The resolution was confirmed by UNESCO’s executive on Tuesday.


Tourists look at a model of the Second Temple on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

 

[New Resolve]

Actually the Jews gave the Romans a bloody nose initially which was quite a feat considering Rome was the super power of its time, eventual result was always going to go in Romes favour considering the sheer size and might of the empire even with a twat like Nero in power.

 

[The Eagle]

Josephus: 'The beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city'

So this is the reason you quote me while opened a new thread to believe something which is mandatory for Israeli syllabus to believe in it. Now, I wonder what really angered the Israel for UN however, did Israel present this case as you mentioned above to UN in rebuttal or there is more history that why Palestinians have the right for what UN said? though that would be hard for you to describe being impartial or unbiased. Israel occupied something that lost many a years ago.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

So this is the reason you quote me while opened a new thread to believe something which is mandatory for Israeli syllabus to believe in it. Now, I wonder what really angered the Israel for UN however, did Israel present this case as you mentioned above to UN in rebuttal or there is more history that why Palestinians have the right for what UN said? though that would be hard for you to describe being impartial or unbiased. Israel occupied something that lost many a years ago.

Not even that, if you look at genetics - Palestinians themselves were most likely Jews who converted to Islam. They are also an indigenous population.

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Actually the Jews gave the Romans a bloody nose initially which was quite a feat considering Rome was the super power of its time, eventual result was always going to go in Romes favour considering the sheer size and might of the empire even with a twat like Nero in power.

The Romans steamrolled the Jews, even their famous uprising and last stand at Masada was a total loss with the garrison killing themselves and inflicting only small casualties on the Romans.

 

[Solomon2]

So this is the reason you quote me while opened a new thread to believe something which is mandatory for Israeli syllabus to believe in it.

This thread is not about Israeli "belief" but about physical evidence. But it does seem your beliefs are in conflict with the unearthed reality.

 

[The Eagle]

This thread is not about Israeli "belief" but about physical evidence. But it does seem your beliefs are in conflict with the unearthed reality.

Evidences are forged for the favour of oneself so the same consideration needs to be given to the other party as well, incase of not being partial or biased or I would say, in other words with malafide intentions. The rest of the part of your quote is nothing but seems like judgmental being unaware with. What is unearthed here?

 

[Solomon2]

Evidences are forged for the favour of oneself so the same consideration needs to be given to the other party as well, incase of not being partial or biased or I would say, in other words with malafide intentions.

You are accusing me - or the archaelogists in the story - of acting in bad faith and attempting to deceive? On what basis?

 

[The Eagle]

of acting in bad faith and attempting to deceive?

I repeat, the evidences need to be brought before the UN to decide, that hopefully wouldn't be forged or manipulated. You are looking at the things with your faith here so it doesn't matter to me at all however, there is history that what Palestinians are relying upon and Israel is angered with UN that reminds me about as "is Israel accusing the Palestine or the archaeologists of acting in bad faith and attempting to deceive?

 

[Solomon2]

I repeat, the evidences need to be brought before the UN to decide -

In short, the truth that exists doesn't matter, just the truth that's pushed by authority. This is the attitude of someone who is accultured to authoritarianism. It is not the attitude of a free person fitted to judge reality for himself.

You are looking at the things with your faith here -

I have no need to invoke my faith here and have not done so.

 

[The Eagle]

It is not the attitude of a free person fitted to judge reality for himself.

so you want me to bypass the UN in this case because you are not satisfied with them then being free person, you are pushing for the point to hear that Israel is an occupier.

 

[Solomon2]

so you want me to bypass the UN in this case because you are not satisfied with them then being free person -

Right now I'm just criticizing you: for bowing to perceived authority rather than embracing being a free person who looks to determine right and wrong as best as he can for himself.

 

[The Eagle]

Right now I'm just criticizing you: for bowing to perceived authority rather than embracing being a free person who looks to determine right and wrong as best as he can for himself.

None taken, don't worry because it doesn't matter due to someone who's diplomats are thinking that still, UN will swing towards Israel in or after decade yet proves that how much you are free. Those were your words in other thread and I hope you remember the same hence did not copied here contrary to your practice. However, the definition does not suit Israel at all for all the wrong doings in Palestine but right for Israel alone hence all those efforts are provocative and personal attacks from your side. See this is the difference between me and you that I / we would like to do everything for everyone and not being selfish even by taking lives for own self ego. Leaving it here that you wouldn't continue further, hopefully.

 

[19887]

Actually the Jews gave the Romans a bloody nose initially which was quite a feat considering Rome was the super power of its time, eventual result was always going to go in Romes favour considering the sheer size and might of the empire even with a twat like Nero in power.

True, and to date, we argue whether the uprising was a mistake or not.
It was probably a mistake

 

[Solomon2]

None taken, don't worry because it doesn't matter due to someone who's diplomats are thinking that still, UN will swing towards Israel in or after decade yet proves that how much you are free. Those were your words in other thread and I hope you remember the same hence did not copied here contrary to your practice. However, the definition does not suit Israel at all for all the wrong doings in Palestine but right for Israel alone hence all those efforts are provocative and personal attacks from your side. See this is the difference between me and you that I / we would like to do everything for everyone and not being selfish even by taking lives for own self ego. Leaving it here that you wouldn't continue further, hopefully.

Sorry, your English is unclear to me.