BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Uncovering Jerusalem’s First Wall

Stretch of Hasmonean wall found in Tower of David excavations

Uncovering of the Hasmonean wall in the Tower of David. Courtesy Gabriel Volcovich, Tower of David Jerusalem Museum.

The largest section of Jerusalem’s Hasmonean wall ever discovered has been uncovered in the Tower of David Museum complex, near the modern Jaffa Gate. Known to historians as Jerusalem’s First Wall, the Hasmonean wall encircled a large section of the current Old City, as well as Mt. Zion and the city’s southeastern ridge. The massive defensive fortifications would have been nearly impenetrable, yet according to excavators, they were “systematically destroyed and razed to the ground.”

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Defending Jerusalem

While carrying out excavations in preparation for the construction of a new wing of the Tower of David Museum, archaeologists discovered a lengthy section of Jerusalem’s Hasmonean-period (c. 141–37 BCE) city wall. Scholars have long recognized that the museum is built along the line of the ancient wall, with several Herodian-period tower foundations still visible on the museum grounds. However, the size of the newly discovered wall section was especially surprising. Running for approximately 130 feet, it is one of the longest sections ever discovered. The wall is an impressive 16.4 feet thick, which is nearly 7 feet thicker than the current Old City walls built by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the early 16th century. The Hasmonean fortification, which was likely constructed in the late second century BCE, included 60 towers along its length. Jerusalem’s fortification system was later augmented by the Second and Third Walls before finally being destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.

According to excavation directors Amit Re’im and Marion Zindel, “There is much more to this wall than meets the eye. It is clear that it was systematically destroyed and razed to the ground. This is predetermined destruction—not the result of the ravages of time, nor of a random enemy attack, but a deliberate execution of a well-planned action. This raises questions about who was responsible for the wall’s destruction.”

Hasmonean-period arrowheads on display at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. Courtesy Ricky Rachman, Tower of David Jerusalem Museum.

The archaeologists propose two possibilities. The first is that this section of wall was destroyed by the Hasmoneans themselves as part of their peace settlement with Antiochus VII. Ancient texts record that Antiochus VII besieged Jerusalem from 134 to 132 BCE, while past excavations at the base of the wall uncovered large numbers of catapult stones, arrowheads, slingstones, and lead bullets that may have been used during the conflict. As part of the peace agreement, the city’s fortifications were also dismantled.

The second possibility is that the wall was torn down by Herod the Great to set himself apart from the Hasmoneans. Regardless of who destroyed this section of the wall, however, Jerusalem’s fortifications were fully rebuilt and expanded in preparation for the First Jewish Revolt (c. 66–74 CE), albeit to no avail.

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