Archaeologists uncovered the longest continuous remains of an ancient wall encircling Jerusalem from the Hasmonean period (late 2nd century BCE). The excavation site is located under the Tower of David Citadel Museum in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Hasmonean wall foundation, estimated to be nearly 164 feet long and 16 feet wide, likely dates to a few decades after the events commemorated by Hanukkah. The discovery may include evidence of a 2,100-year-old ceasefire between warring kingdoms. The Hasmonean Kingdom period is historically linked to the story of Hanukkah, which marks the rededication of the Temple.
6 days ago
Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have uncovered the longest intact section of a Hasmonean-era city wall foundation in Jerusalem, measuring about 164 feet long and 16 feet wide.1 This find, located under the Tower of David Citadel Museum in the Old City, dates to the late 2nd century BCE and represents the most complete remains of the walls that encircled a larger area than the modern Old City.1
The excavation, completed last week, revealed foundations that once supported walls taller than today's Ottoman-era structures, complete with 60 watchtowers over 33 feet high as described in ancient texts.1
The wall was built shortly after the events commemorated by Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday marking the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem around 164 BCE following liberation from Seleucid forces.1 Hanukkah, beginning December 14 this year, celebrates the miracle of oil lasting eight days and involves traditions like lighting candles and eating fried foods such as latkes.1
During the Hasmonean Kingdom, established post-Hanukkah, these walls fortified Jerusalem against invasions, symbolizing Jewish independence in the region.1
The upper part of the wall appears to have been deliberately and uniformly dismantled to a consistent height, unlike damage from war or erosion, prompting theories about its fate.1 Lead archaeologist Dr. Amit Re’em suggests this matches a 132-133 BCE ceasefire agreement between Jewish king John Hyrcanus I and Hellenistic king Antiochus VII, where the walls were razed as part of the deal, corroborated by historian Flavius Josephus.1
Hyrcanus funded the truce by raiding King David's tomb for silver and offering hostages, leading to the ordered demolition.1 An alternative view from Hebrew University archaeologist Orit Peleg-Barkat attributes the dismantling to King Herod's 1st-century BCE palace construction, noting that other Hasmonean wall sections elsewhere in Jerusalem remain intact, making a city-wide razing unlikely.1
The discovery occurred beneath the abandoned Kishleh wing, a 19th-century military base turned British prison until the 1940s, featuring graffiti in multiple languages and visible iron cell bars.1 Excavations began in 1999 but paused during the Second Intifada from 2000, resuming two years ago after the site transferred to the Tower of David Museum.1
Over two years, teams manually removed debris equivalent to two Olympic swimming pools, also uncovering Middle Ages dye pits for fabric.1 The site will feature a floating glass floor as part of a new archaeology gallery, with renovations expected to take at least two years.1
Hasmonean Jerusalem wall demonstrates early Jewish sovereignty
The Hasmonean walls of Jerusalem stand as enduring testaments to a pivotal moment in Jewish history, marking the transition from foreign oppression to self-determination during the second century B.C. Constructed and fortified amid the Maccabean revolt against Seleucid rule, these structures not only provided physical defense but also embodied the political and spiritual sovereignty reclaimed by the Jewish people. Drawing from historical accounts in Catholic tradition, this analysis explores the context of their construction, their role in asserting independence, and their broader significance in understanding Jewish resilience—a theme that resonates with the Church's respect for the irrevocable covenant with Israel.
The story of the Hasmonean walls begins with the Maccabean uprising, a heroic resistance against the cultural and religious imposition of Hellenism under the Seleucid Empire. In the wake of Alexander the Great's conquests, Palestine fell under Ptolemaic and then Seleucid control, where Greek influences increasingly threatened Jewish religious practices. Antiochus IV Epiphanes escalated this by desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem around 167 B.C., erecting a statue of Zeus and banning Jewish rituals, sparking widespread persecution.
It was the priest Mattathias of Hasmon and his sons—the Maccabees—who ignited the revolt. Judas Maccabeus, succeeding his father in 166 B.C., led decisive victories, recapturing Jerusalem in 164 B.C. and purifying the Temple, an event commemorated in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Despite these gains, the struggle persisted; Judas fortified the city but could not fully dislodge the Syrian garrison from the Acra citadel, a stronghold overlooking the Temple. His brothers Jonathan and Simon continued the fight, navigating alliances and battles to secure greater autonomy. This era of conflict, detailed in the Books of Maccabees, highlights not just military prowess but a profound commitment to preserving Jewish law and identity against assimilation. From a Catholic perspective, this resistance underscores the enduring fidelity of the Jewish people to God's covenant, a theme echoed in Scripture and later Church teachings.
The Hasmonean walls emerged as practical embodiments of this burgeoning sovereignty, transforming Jerusalem from a vulnerable outpost into a fortified capital. Under Simon Maccabeus (143–135 B.C.), who assumed leadership after Jonathan's death, significant advancements occurred. Simon repaired Judea's fortresses, seized key ports like Joppa for secure trade, and crucially, expelled the Syrian garrison from the Acra in 142 B.C. This victory allowed for a monumental project: the razing of the Acra hill itself—a three-year endeavor involving the entire population—to eliminate any lingering threat and symbolically level the ground of foreign domination.
Archaeological remnants support this narrative; fragments of Hasmonean-era ramparts have been uncovered east of the Tower of David, including a 290-foot section flanked by towers rising 39 feet, descending from the Tower of Phasael toward the southern slope of Mount Zion. These walls connected existing structures, such as the southern wall of Mount Zion, which traced back to David's era, and extended defenses toward the Pool of Siloam. Simon's efforts culminated in his proclamation as "prince and high-priest forever" by a national assembly in 141 B.C., granting his family—the Hasmoneans—hereditary rule, including the right to coinage.
John Hyrcanus I (135–105 B.C.), Simon's son, further expanded these fortifications during his reign, which saw conquests of Samaria and Idumea, forcibly converting the latter to Judaism and broadening Jewish territorial control. These walls were not mere barriers; they delineated a sovereign Jewish polity, integrating religious authority (high priesthood) with civil and military power under Hasmonean kings. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, operated within this framework, though its influence waxed and waned amid internal Pharisee-Sadducee rivalries. By fortifying Jerusalem, the Hasmoneans created a physical and ideological bulwark, ensuring the city's role as the heart of Jewish worship and governance.
The walls' construction directly demonstrated early Jewish sovereignty by enabling diplomatic and territorial assertions that rivaled ancient empires. Simon's expulsion of the Acra garrison and leveling of the hill freed Jerusalem from Syrian oversight, allowing the rededication of the Temple and renewal of alliances. A key diplomatic triumph was the treaty with Rome in 161 B.C., initiated by Judas and formalized under Jonathan and Simon. Envoys like Eupolemus and Jason traveled to Rome, securing an alliance that recognized Jewish independence and promised mutual defense against Greek enslavement. The Roman Senate's reply, inscribed on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem, affirmed this partnership, elevating the Maccabees' status on the world stage.
Under Demetrius II, Simon obtained tax exemptions, solidifying economic autonomy, while later decrees under Alexander Balas granted religious freedoms and territorial annexations, such as integrating Samaritan districts into Judea under the high priest's sole authority. These measures, including funding for Temple restoration from royal revenues, underscored a shift from tribute-paying subjects to equal partners. John Hyrcanus's expansions pushed Jewish borders to approximate ancient Israel's extent, with the walls serving as the secure core of this realm.
This sovereignty was fragile yet profound; internal divisions, like the Pharisee-Sadducee schism, and external pressures from Rome eventually eroded it, leading to Herod's rise. Nonetheless, the Hasmonean period (135–63 B.C.) represented a rare era of Jewish self-rule, where walls symbolized not just defense but the reclamation of divine promise. Catholic sources portray this as a divinely sustained struggle, aligning with Romans 11:29's notion of God's irrevocable gifts to Israel.
From a Catholic viewpoint, the Hasmonean walls illuminate the Jewish people's historical agency and spiritual legacy, which the Church honors without supersession. The Holy See has long emphasized Jerusalem's universal significance as a city sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims—a place of God's covenant with humanity. Pope John Paul II affirmed the "irrevocable covenant" with the Jewish people, rooted in Hebrew Scriptures, calling for fraternal love and rejecting any discrimination. This respect extends to recognizing Jewish sovereignty's roots in events like the Maccabean victories, which preserved the faith that underpins Christianity.
Contemporary Church documents, such as those from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, stress that any political resolution for Jerusalem must honor the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians, guided by justice and international law. The Hasmonean era reminds us of Jerusalem's vocation as a symbol of unity amid diversity, where fortifications once protected a people's covenantal identity—a heritage that invites dialogue today. Theologians like Gavin D'Costa explore this "mystery of Israel," arguing that the Jewish covenant remains salvific alongside Christ's universal mission, without contradiction. Thus, these walls are not relics of isolation but bridges to understanding shared Abrahamic roots.
In conclusion, the Hasmonean walls of Jerusalem exemplify early Jewish sovereignty through their role in repelling invaders, forging alliances, and expanding a faithful polity. Rooted in the Maccabean revolt's triumph over persecution, they fortified not only stone but the enduring spirit of a people chosen by God. This history, as chronicled in Catholic tradition, calls us to appreciate Jerusalem's layered sacredness and to promote peace that respects all its inhabitants' dignity.