Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Major Maccabean-Era City Wall Unearthed at Tower of David
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Archaeologists have uncovered one of the longest and best-preserved sections of Jerusalem’s Hasmonean-period city wall, a massive fortification dating to the Maccabean era, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday.
The newly exposed structure, discovered in the Kishle complex beside the Tower of David, stretches more than 40 meters (130 feet) and is five meters (16 feet) wide, constructed of large stones bearing the distinctive Hasmonean chiseled finish. Originally over ten meters high, only its foundation survives.
Excavation directors Dr. Amit Re’im and Dr. Marion Zindel said the wall was intentionally dismantled, not eroded or destroyed in battle. Two main explanations fit the historical record:
• John Hyrcanus I may have dismantled Jerusalem’s fortifications around 134–132 BCE as part of a peace deal with Antiochus VII Sidetes, who besieged the city. Hundreds of catapult stones and arrowheads previously found nearby support this scenario.
• King Herod may have later removed the wall to erase Hasmonean authority and build his palace directly over the site—a political statement marking the rise of his own rule.
The excavation also revealed part of an older First Temple-period wall beneath the Hasmonean structure.
The discovery comes as the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum prepares to open its new Schulich Wing, where visitors will stand above the exposed fortifications on a transparent floor.
Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu praised the find as “tangible evidence of Jerusalem’s might during the Hasmonean period,” noting its special resonance during the Hanukkah season.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Thousands of people, many of them Christians, braved the rain at Amsterdam’s central Dam Square for a pro-Israel rally, while police arrested more than a dozen pro-Palestinian protesters who attempted to disrupt the gathering.
President Donald Trump announced a sweeping security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that would grant the United States permanent military rights on the strategically important Arctic island. The agreement strengthens America’s northern defenses without transferring ownership of Greenland to the United States.
Organizers were weighing their options after Ireland joined the Netherlands in boycotting the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation, deepening divisions surrounding one of the world’s most watched music events, which attracted about 131 million television viewers last year.
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent ALGIERS/ORAN (Worthy News) – Algerian special police forces have raided a Christian gathering and detained 12 believers, adding to concerns about religious freedom in the predominantly Muslim North African nation, Christians told Worthy News. The Christians were reportedly meeting September 4 at the House of Refuge in L’Ayaida, about 36 kilometers (22 miles) east of the northwestern city of Oran, when police arrived with a search warrant. It serves as a haven and restoration center for vulnerable women and their families and previously included a Christian worship hall, which authorities ordered … Read more
Authorities in Nigeria’s predominantly Christian Plateau State have ordered a crackdown on an unauthorized Islamic religious police group attempting to enforce aspects of Sharia, or Islamic law, amid broader concerns about pressure on Christians and fresh deadly violence in Nigeria’s troubled Middle Belt region.
Major General Viktor Nikoliuk has resigned as commander of Ukraine’s Eastern Operational Command amid a broader military personnel shake-up, as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its air defenses against intensifying Russian attacks.
The U.N. General Assembly voted Thursday to let Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas address next week’s gathering by video after the United States denied him a visa for the second year in a row. The measure passed 152–3, with four abstentions. The United States, Israel and Paraguay voted against it.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com