Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – Till the mid-2nd century BCE, Jerusalem throughout the Second Temple interval was a comparatively small and modest metropolis, albeit one among appreciable significance.
The town’s transformation started roughly 2,150 years in the past with the arrival of the Hasmonean household.
Picture credit score: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority.
Their goal was to boost Jerusalem’s standing as a political capital and to consolidate their authority inside the metropolis.
The Hasmonean household performed an important function as metropolis planners. Throughout their reign, Jerusalem underwent in depth development processes, which continued later below Herod the Nice and the Roman governors. These intervals have been marked by quite a lot of important initiatives that formed the town’s growth.
One of the crucial necessary adjustments was the growth of the town’s predominant attraction: the Temple.
Picture credit score: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority
“The growth of financial exercise within the metropolis created a layer of rich residents. The homes of Jerusalem’s rich have been luxurious, with a number of tales, bathhouses, ritual baths, and pantries.”
Tehillah Lieberman, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority within the Jerusalem district, notes that Roman cultural affect is clearly seen within the architectural design of homes and the development of latest metropolis partitions.
One other important phenomenon that influenced the design of Jerusalem was the pilgrimage.
“Within the Second Temple interval, Jerusalem was the unique place of worship for the Jewish folks,” explains Dr. Joe Uziel, a Jerusalem researcher on the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Picture credit score: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority.
One of many predominant methods to direct the motion of pilgrims to Jerusalem was to handle the reception stage for pilgrims exterior the town itself.
After the lengthy journey to Jerusalem, which started, for a few of the pilgrims, within the Galilee – and even in Alexandria, Egypt – they have been obtained in a type of camp that welcomed them exterior the town, the place they might buy sacrifices for the Temple, refresh themselves and alternate cash – amongst different issues – as a way to pay the half-shekel tax to the Temple.
Picture credit score: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority.
Within the metropolis itself, a system of roads, bridges, and streets was constructed, directing the busy site visitors to the Temple.
The principle one was the “Stepped Road” – a road 8 meters huge and about 600 meters lengthy (positioned in at present’s Metropolis of David website and excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority).
Alongside it have been retailers and even-perhaps-a podium for delivering speeches to passersby.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Workers Author