Temple archaeology

[DeaconDean]

I'm researching to find evidence that the "buildings" of Mark 13:2 namely the temple and it's acompaning buildings, weren't completely destroyed in 70 AD. There is evidence that part of the walls surrounding the temple were not totally destroyed when Assyria conquered Israel. Nehemiah we know rebuilt the walls and temple. The "West Wall" is still standing today and was part of Solomons original temple walls. And when Titus burnt down the temple in 70 AD, the "Fort Antonia" building, which housed the Sanhedrin, was not desroyed until after Masada had fallen in 73 AD. What I need is some access to actual temple archaeology writtings or research. Can someone point me in the right direction. BTY, most of the stuff I have found has been mainly from the Muslem perspective.

 

[justified]

Um, there's tons of it. The retainerw all built by herod is still standing. I mean, that's common knowledge as its the wailiing wall. You don't need a source for that!

Fortress Tiberius and some of the other buildings are described by Josephus.

 

[DeaconDean]

I know all that. Also some of the entrances to the temple courts are still intact today also. But where is a good place to start?

 

[FreezBee]

I'm researching to find evidence that the "buildings" of Mark 13:2 namely the temple and it's acompaning buildings, weren't completely destroyed in 70 AD.

As justified has mentioned, the wailing wall is supposed to be part of the temple of Herod.

Flavius Josephus' "The wars of the Jews" is the only original source at our disposition, and you may find it at this link:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Aabo%3Atlg%2C0526%2C004&query=init.

At the beginning of Book 7 Josephus writes:

NOW as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their fury, (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any other work to be done,) Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison, as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind.

I'm not aware to what extent this is corroborated by modern archaeology, but it's the words of a man who was there

There is evidence that part of the walls surrounding the temple were not totally destroyed when Assyria conquered Israel. Nehemiah we know rebuilt the walls and temple. The "West Wall" is still standing today and was part of Solomons original temple walls.

Where do you have all this from? When Assyria conquered Israel, of course nothing happened to the temple in Jerusalem, which was in Judah, not in Israel. I suppose you mean the Babylonian siege in 587/86 bce. If so, what evidence do you refer to? The Book of Nehemiah claims that Nehemiah organized the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, but the (second) temple is spoken about as already in existence by his arrival to Jerusalem.

And when Titus burnt down the temple in 70 AD, the "Fort Antonia" building, which housed the Sanhedrin, was not desroyed until after Masada had fallen in 73 AD. What I need is some access to actual temple archaeology writtings or research. Can someone point me in the right direction. BTY, most of the stuff I have found has been mainly from the Muslem perspective.

The fortress Antonia was made the Roman headquarter after the Romans had conquered the northern part of the city and remained so during the remaining part of the war.


cheers

- FreezBee

 

[DeaconDean]

Flavius Josephus' "The wars of the Jews" is the only original source at our disposition,

Thank you for the link, but I have "The Complete Works Of Josephus" both on CD-ROM and in hardback book. I was hoping someone could point me in a direction on the web.

 

[justified]

I think its also in his Antiquities but I'm not sure. If you get a copy of it, it should have an index. I'm sure it's also at ccel.org, in which case they've probably included the index at the end....

 

[Alleluja]

I am reading an old book called Prophecy 2000, it is great with wonderful

information about studies involving the Temple and some of the excavations
found in Jerusalem. You may be able to get more info on line about this
book, or maybe even pick it up at the library. It is written by David Allen
Lewis...

 

[FreezBee]

I am reading an old book called Prophecy 2000, it is great with wonderful

information about studies involving the Temple and some of the excavations
found in Jerusalem. You may be able to get more info on line about this
book, or maybe even pick it up at the library. It is written by David Allen
Lewis...

Hi Alleluja, welcome to these forums

Your info sounded interesting, and I did a search for David Allen Lewis. Here's his homepage for those who might be interested:

http://davidallenlewis.com/

But he appears to a bit on the apocalyptic side, which certainly is no crime, but might throw a slight shadow on a book called "Phophecy 2000", dont you think?


- FreezBee