Bezetha (), also called by

Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for ''The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly d ...

the New City was a suburb of

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, north and north-west of the

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

, built opposite the tower Antonia (now in proximity to the

Convent of the Sisters of Zion The Convent of the Sisters of Zion is a Roman Catholic convent of the Congregation of Notre-Dame de Sion, located near the eastern end of the ''Via Dolorosa'' in the Old City of Jerusalem. The convent was built in 1857 by Marie-Alphonse Ratisbon ...

and ''Ecce Homo'' on Via Dolorosa Street) and extending as far as

Herod's Gate Herod's Gate ( ar, باب الزاهرة, Bab az-Zahra, ) is one of the seven open Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. It connects the Muslim Quarter (Jerusalem), Muslim Quarter inside of the old city to the eponymic Palestinians, Palestinian nei ...

westward and beyond. Originally, this part of the city was outside the area enclosed by the second wall, but during the reign of

Agrippa I Herod Agrippa (Roman name Marcus Julius Agrippa; born around 11–10 BC – in Caesarea), also known as Herod II or Agrippa I (), was a grandson of Herod the Great and King of Judea from AD 41 to 44. He was the father of Herod Agrippa II, the l ...

, had been enclosed by the newer third wall. In

' time, the hill on which Bezetha was built could be distinguished by its elevation in relation to the tower of Antonia, which was built beyond the intermediate valley below (partly dug on purpose), between Bezetha and the north side of the Temple Mount. Topographical maps still show the contours in elevation. American missionary and explorer,

James Turner Barclay James Turner Barclay (born May 22, 1807 in King William County, Virginia, † October 20, 1874 in Wheeler, Alabama) was an American missionary and explorer of Palestine. Life James Turner Barclay was one of four children of Robert Barclay and Sar ...

, in his seminal work ''The City of the Great King'', calls

Zedekiah's Cave Zedekiah's Cave—also called Solomon's Quarries—is a underground meleke limestone quarry that runs the length of five city blocks under the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was carved over a period of several thousand years a ...

by the hill on which it is located, "Mount Bezetha". The

Holyland Model of Jerusalem The Holyland Model of Jerusalem, also known as Model of Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period ( he, דגם ירושלים בסוף ימי בית שני) is a 1:50 scale model of the city of Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period ...

depicts Bezetha as one of five major districts of the first century CE Jerusalem.

History

During the outbreak of the First Jewish-Roman War, Cestius Gallus set fire to this sparsely inhabited part of the city.

, '' The Jewish War'' 2.19.4.
2.527
. Today, the area of Bezetha comprises part of the Muslim Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City.

References

* {{Old City (Jerusalem), state=collapsed Hebrew Bible places Hebrew Bible mountains Ancient history of Jerusalem Neighbourhoods of Jerusalem Quarters (urban subdivision) Ancient sites in Jerusalem Classical sites in Jerusalem Establishments in the Herodian kingdom

History

See also

References