Archaeologists have found remnants of a wall, believed to be the Third Wall of Jerusalem. This physical evidence likely puts to rest the debate about its location and gives additional insight to “The Fall of Jerusalem,” which occurred in AD 70 when Roman armies dug a trench and besieged the city. The Romans built a wall that would eventually be as high as the third wall of Jerusalem. This third wall was built to protect newer sections of the city that had been growing outside the protection of the first and second walls. The third wall was the weakest and would prove to be the easiest to defeat.
For I have set My face against this city for harm and not for good,” declares the LORD. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire. – Jeremiah 21:10 (ESV)
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, “During the course of the excavation archaeologists discovered the remains of a tower jutting from the city wall. Opposite the tower’s western facade were scores of ballista and sling stones that the Romans had fired from catapults towards the Jewish guards defending the wall, who were stationed at the top of the tower.
This discovery made last year included finding the ground littered with more than 70 ballista and sling stones outside the wall, believed to be remnants from the Roman attack in the First Jewish Revolt. The finds were made in a location that will house the new campus of Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design, in the historic district known as the Russian Compound in central Jerusalem.
Dr. Rina Avner and Kfir Arbib, the excavation directors of the site, expressed that
“This is a fascinating testimony of the intensive bombardment by the Roman army, led by ***us, on their way to conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple. 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”.
Jerusalem's Walls
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