Hellenistic Seleucid empire: Ancient Greek Fortress Unearthed Near Jerusalem

After a century of searching, archaeologists said they have found the remnants of an ancient Greek fortress once a center of power in Jerusalem and a stronghold used to hold off a Jewish rebellion celebrated in the scriptural Book of the Maccabees.

Researchers have long debated over the location of the Acra, built more than 2,000 years ago by Antiochus Epiphanes, king of the Hellenistic Seleucid empire.

Many asserted it stood in what is now Jerusalem's walled Old City, at spots like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or by the hilltop where two Jewish temples once towered and which now houses the al-Aqsa mosque compound.

Overlooking valley

But the remains unearthed by the Israel Antiquities Authority and made public on Tuesday are outside the walls, overlooking a valley to the south, an area where archaeologists say Jerusalem construction was concentrated under the biblical King David.

Antiochus, who lived from 215-164 BC, chose the spot for the Acra in order to control the city and monitor activity in the Jewish temple, said Doron Ben-Ami, who led the excavation.

With an estimated length of up to 250 meters (yards) and 60 meters in width, it would have dominated the countryside........Reuters....voanews.com
3/11/15
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