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FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS

IUS JOSEPHUS, a famous Jewish historian, was = Jerusalem, in 37 A.D.; died at Rome about D. He belonged to a priestly family. He arly to Rome, and was there at the time of the onment of the apostle Paul. He became a e of the Roman government and lived on a à granted by Vespasian. His works include: ry of the War of the Jews against the s, and the Fall of Jerusalem," "Antiquities Jews,” and his “Autobiography." His work, ntensely interesting to the historical student, en often challenged in regard to its accuracy.

ESCRIPTION OF JERUSALEM

rusalem, fortified by three walls-except it was encompassed by its impassible ravines, re it had but a single rampart—was built, the ision fronting the other, on two hills, sepaby an intervening valley, at which the f houses terminated. Of these hills, that on the upper town is situated is much the higher, raighter in its length. Accordingly, on acof its strength, it was styled the Fortress by David, the father of Solomon, by whom the was originally erected; but by us, the Upper -Place. The other, which bears the name of and supports the lower town, is of a gibbous Opposite to this was a third hill, naturally than Acra, and formerly severed from it by : broad ravine. Afterwards, however, the æans, during their reign, filled up the ravine,

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ve ouer objects 111 uns quarter aisu. of the Cheese-makers, as it was designated, which ded, as we have said, the hill of the upper town m that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam, we call it, a fountain whose waters are at once et and copious. On the exterior, the two hills which the city stood were skirted by deep ravines, precipitous on either side that the town was no-re accessible.

. Of the three walls, the most ancient, as well m the ravines which surrounded it, as from the above them on which it was erected, was almost regnable. But, besides the advantages of its ation, it was also strongly built; David and Solo, as well as their successors on the throne, havdevoted much attention to the work. Beginning the north at the tower called Hippicus, and exding to what was called the Xystus, it then med a junction with the council-house, and terated at the western colonnade of the temple. the other side towards the west, beginning at the e tower, it stretched through Bethso, as it was ed, to the gate of the Essenes, It then turned, advanced with a southern aspect above the founof Siloam, whence it again inclined, facing the , towards Solomon's reservoir, and extending to ertain spot designated Ophla, it joined the eastern nnade of the temple.

he second had its beginning at the gate which 7 called Oennath, belonging to the first wall. It ched to the Antonia, and encircled only the northquarter of the town. The tower Hippicus med the commencement of the third wall, which tched from thence towards the northern quarter, far as the tower Psephinus, and then passing op

the spot known by the appenation of the fur

Tomb; and, connecting itself with the old wall, inated at the valley called Kedron. This wall ppa had thrown around the new-built town,

was quite unprotected; for the city, overng with inhabitants, gradually crept beyond the arts; and the people, incorporating with the the quarter north of the temple close to the made a considerable advance, insomuch that a th hill, which is called Bezetha, was also surded with inhabitants. It lay over against the nia, from which it was separated by a deep purposely excavated to cut off the communicabetween the foundations of the Antonia and the that they might be at once less easy of access, more elevated. Thus the depth of the trench rially increased the altitude of the towers.

e quarter most recently built was called, in our age, Bezetha, which, if translated into the k tongue, would be Canopolis (New-town). e who resided there requiring defence, the faof the present sovereign, and of the name, ppa, commenced the wall we have mentioned. apprehending that Claudius Cæsar might susfrom the magnitude of the structure that he tained some designs of innovation and insurreche desisted when he had merely laid the founns. For, indeed, had he completed that wall the scale on which it was begun, the city would been impregnable. It was constructed of stones ty cubits long and ten broad, fitted into each in such a manner that they could scarcely have undermined with iron, or shaken with engines. wall itself was ten cubics in breadth; and it d probably have attained a greater height than

to the height of twenty cubits; while, crowning were battlements of two cubits, upon parapets hree cubits in altitude, so that it attained in its re elevation twenty-five cubits.

On this wall were erected towers, twenty cubits readth, and the same in height, square, and solid he wall itself. In the joining and beauty of the es, they were nowise inferior to the temple. Over solid altitude of the towers, which was twenty ts, were sumptuous apartments; and above these, n, upper rooms, and numerous cisterns therein receive the rain-water, and to each room wide cases. Of such towers the third wall had ninety, osed at intervals of two hundred cubits. The dle wall was divided into fourteen towers, and ancient one into sixty. Of the city, the entire it was thirty-three furlongs. But admirable as the third wall throughout, still more so was the er Psephinus, which rose up at the north-west e, and opposite to which Titus encamped. Being nty cubits high, it afforded at sunrise a prospect Arabia, and of the limits of the Hebrew terries as far as the sea; it was octagonal in form. ver against this was the tower Hippicus, and near : two others, all erected by king Herod in the ent wall, which, in magnitude, beauty, and gth, exceeded all that the world could produce; with a taste naturally magnificent, and ambitious lecorating the city, the king further sought, in surpassing splendor of these works, to gratify rivate feelings, and dedicated them to the memof the three persons to whom he had been most erly attached, and after whom he named the rs-his brother, his friend, and his wife. The mentioned, as we have above related, he had

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lar, its length and breadth being each twentyubits, and to the height of thirty cubits it was throughout. Above this solid part, which was ructed of stones formed into one compact mass, a reservoir to receive the rain, twenty cubits over which was a house of two stories, twentyubits high, and divided into various apartments. e this were battlements of two cubits in height, ted upon parapets of three; so that the entire de amounted to eighty cubits.

e second tower, which he named Phasaëlus, his brother, was of equal length and breadth, cubits each, and the same in solid height. Over and embracing the whole of the structure, was lery, ten cubits high, defended by breast-works battlements. Above this, and rising from its , was built another tower, containing sumptupartments, and also a bath; so that nothing wanting to impart to this tower the aspect of a e. Its summit was more richly ornamented battlements and parapets than that just deed, and its entire altitude was about ninety cuIn appearance it resembled the tower of Phawhich serves as a lighthouse to those sailing to andria, though it was much greater in circumce. At this date it was the seat of Simon's ny.

e third tower, Mariamne-for such was the 's name was solid to the height of twenty cuits breadth, also, being twenty cubits, and its the same. Its upper apartments were more tuous and elegant than those of the other towthe king thinking it more suitable that that from a woman should be more highly ornaed than those called after men, just as they

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