2,100-Year-Old Mystery answered in Jerusalem

Mere days before the celebration of Hannuka, a rare discovery from the reign of the Maccabim has been unearthed on the grounds of the Tower of David.

A 2,100-Year-Old Mystery

The Kishle complex, which stands at the foot of the Tower of David in Jerusalem, unearthed the impressive remains of a fortified wall dating back to the era of the Hasmoneans, just a week before Hanukkah.

The remains, over 40 meters (130 feet) long and five meters (16 feet) wide, once stood protecting the city of Jerusalem. Astonishingly enough, the remains appear to have been even larger than the current walls surrounding the Old City, an impressive feat showcasing the strength of the ancient Jerusalemites. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has been able to confirm that this discovery sheds light on a millennia-old mystery: why the Jerusalemites from over 2,000 years ago carefully dismantled a large fortification wall. A wall so impressive, it was described by ancient Roman-Jewish historian Josephus Flavius himself.

Dr. Amit Re’em, IAA excavation co-director and chief archaeologist for the Jerusalem District, discusses the element of mystery in the remains. Evidence shows that this ancient massive wall was deliberately dismantled and destroyed to its very base (completely to the ground) and yet, there is no evidence of this deconstruction being due to war or battle. This was a slow and dedicated process.

Josephus Flavius

Josephus Flavius was a Roman-Jewish historian born in the year 37 AD in Jerusalem. His father was of priestly descent (a Kohen), and his mother was an aristocrat descended from the royal Hasmonean line.

Flavius began writing his historical works in Rome around 71 AD, shortly after the conclusion of the First Jewish–Roman War. He aimed to explain and defend Jewish history and culture to a world he felt misunderstood them. His works today provide historians with a primary source for many stories considered Biblical history.

Flavius also mentions in his 13th book, The Antiquities of the Jews, a massive wall in Jerusalem being dismantled, possibly the same wall found in the City of David 2,100 years later.

“He broke down the fortifications that encompassed the city. And upon these conditions Antiochus broke up the siege, and departed,” Josephus writes in the 13th book of The Antiquities of the Jews (8:3).

Josephus’s writings offer historians (and fans alike!) a possible explanation for the destruction of the wall revealed at the base of the City of David, and Dr. Re’em believes this as well.

This would mean that thousands of years ago, around the year 134 BC- three decades after the story of Hanukkah and the rise of the Hasmonean dynasty, another Greek king named Antiochus attacked Jerusalem. According to Flavius, in order to save Jerusalem, the Hasmonean leader of the time, John Hyrcanus I, agreed to dismantle the city’s fortifications and pay King Antiochus VII 3,000 talents of gold withdrawn from King David’s sepulcher.

Another possible explanation provided by the IAA is that the uncovered remains were discovered exactly where King Herod would build his palace a century after Hyrcanus’s rule of Jerusalem. There is a possibility that Herod ordered the wall to be torn down and dismantled. The location of Herod’s palace has also been mentioned in Flavius’s writings.

Christmas, Hanukkah, and the City of David

It has been confirmed that the wall was built using typical stones employed in Hasmonean buildings throughout Israel, especially in Jerusalem. Dr. Re’em also confirms that, in addition to the stones, the building technique is identical to other structures dating back to that period. There are also ceramics and coins from the Hasmonean period associated with the wall. Lastly, the wall has been located beneath Herod’s Palace, meaning it predates it, yet it is also above remains from the First Temple period (1200–586 BC).

Finding the Hasmonean wall beneath Herod’s Palace during the time of Christmas and Hanukkah is a miraculous and wonderful discovery in the Holy Land of Israel, once again proving the truth and historical accuracy of the Bible.

The Hasmoneans, rulers of Judea, were the heroic saviors of the Jewish people thousands of years ago when they took a stand and rebelled against the Greek Empire. To this day, they are celebrated during Hanukkah for the light and salvation they brought Israel under the grace of God.

Additionally, the wall being found beneath Herod’s Palace before Christmas is a magnificent discovery ahead of the holiday. Herod sought to destroy Jesus, fearing Him when the three wise men called Him the King of the Jews. We know that on that sacred night thousands of years ago, Herod asked the wise men to go to Bethlehem and report back to him, claiming he would “worship” Jesus, while actually planning to kill Him. But the men were warned in a dream of Herod’s true intentions and returned to their country by another route, preventing him from harming Jesus.

These findings, so close to our celebrated holy nights, come as a wonderful and concrete reminder of the miraculous historical events that took place in Israel, from the rebellion and victory of the Hasmoneans to the birth and life of Jesus Himself. The timing of these archaeological discoveries alongside both holidays serves as a spiritual reminder that we are guided and protected by His grace.

Jerusalem and Immanuel Tours

Jerusalem, the capital of the Holy Land, is a living, breathing time machine, guiding visitors not only through the wonders of modern-day Israel, but also honoring the footsteps of the prophets and historical figures who walked these streets thousands of years ago.

Jerusalem is without a doubt one of the most essential locations for pilgrims to visit during their time in the Holy Land. It is a place full of wonder, where visitors can feel the sacred presence in the air while exploring monuments from the time of Jesus that still stand tall to this very day.

Here at Immanuel Tours, we guarantee that your next Israel Christian Tour will include this life-changing experience. We would love to walk alongside you to the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed the blind man, through the cobblestone streets to the Western Wall, and up to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus prayed before His arrest and ascended into Heaven.

We believe every pilgrim should visit the Holy Land. Our mission is to make that journey as meaningful and faith-filled as possible, with your comfort and spiritual experience as our top priorities.

Merry Christmas and blessings to you all.

Sources:
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/josephus/complete.iii.vi.iv.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/2100-year-old-mystery-unearthed-with-dismantled-hasmonean-era-wall-in-jerusalem/