A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 6
A Description of Hierusalem, and the Temple, as they were when they were destroyed by the Romans.
Hierusalem was compassed with a treble wall on every side, save only on that part where it was inclosed with inaccessible Vallies; for on that side it needed onelyonly one wall: It was built upon two hils, the one opposite to the other, separated by a Valley, which was wonderously replenished with houses. One of these Hills, whereon stood the upper part of the City, was far higher and steeper than the other; whereupon King David compassing it about with a Wall, called it the City of David. The other hill called Acra, was the place whereon the lower part of the City stood: And opposite to this Acra, was another hill lower than it, which at first was divided from it by a large Valley; but when the Asmonians reigned, they filled up this Valley, and cut down the top of Acra, that it might not hide the Temple: within one of the vallies was Siloam, a Fountain sending forth abundance of clear and sweet water: The outmost wall, by reason of the valley about it, and the Rock whereon it stood was impregnable, the rather, because besides the situation, it was built very strongly by David, Salomon, and other Kings. A fourth wall was begun by Agrippa: In humane reason, had this wall been finished, the City could never have been taken: For hee began to build it with stones twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad, so that it could neither bee easily undermined, nor battered with Engines: But hee built this wall but ten cubits high, and then fearing lest Claudius Caesar should think that hee had a purpose to Rebell, hee gave it over: Yet afterwards the Jews raised this wall twenty cubits high: made a Battlement two cubits high, and the Tower three cubits, in all four and twenty cubits high: Besides, upon the wall were three Towers twenty cubits broad, and twenty cubits high, built four square, very strongly; within these Towers were rooms for men to dwell in, and Cisterns to receive rain-water. The third wall had ninty of these Towers, and between every Tower were two hundred cubits space: The second wall had fourteen Towers; and the old wall had threescore, and the compasse of the whole City was three and thirty furlongs.
Between the North, and the West-part of the City, upon the outmost wall, stood the Tower Psephina, which was raised threescore and ten cubits high; so that in a clear day a man might from thence discover Arabia, and the utmost confines of the Jews, even to the Sea. Just opposite to this was the Towe… Hippicos, built by Herod upon the old wall, which for bignesse, beauty, and strength, surpassed all others in the world: It had four corners, each of which was five and twenty cubits broad, as many long, and thirty cubits high, and in no place hollow: On the top was a Well to receive Rain-water, twenty cubits deep. On the top of all were Houses five and twenty cubits high, divided into many rooms: Above them were battlements two cubits high, and Turrets three cubits high, so that in all it was fourscore and five cubits high.
Hee built also a second Tower, in breadth and length forty cubits, and as many high, in figure of a square pillar, all solid, and not hollow within: And above this, a Porch ten cubits high, adorned with Turrets and Pinacles: Over the midst of this Porch hee built another Tower, distinguished into goodly roomes, and sumptuous Baths; and on the top it was beautifyed with Turrets and Pinacles; so that the whole height was almost fourscore and ten cubits.
Lastly, Hee built a third Tower, which hee called after his Queens name, Mariamne, twenty cubits high, and twenty broad, all of solid stone, and not hollow, having more stately and magnificent lodgings in it than either of the former: It was in all fifty five cubits high.
These Towers, though they were very high, yet by reason of their situation they seemed far higher: For the old Wall whereon they were built stood upon a Rock that was thirty cubits high, whereby their height was much increased: They were not built also of ordinary stone, but all of white Marble, whereof each stone was twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad, and five cubits thick; and so curiously joyned together that every Tower seemed but one stone; within the City was the Kings Palace, surpassing all that can bee spoken of it, and for greatnesse, and curious workmanship, may bee compared with any other in the world: It was invironed with a wall thirty cubits high, adorned with goodly Towers round about, Beautified with Houses for an hundred of the Nobility: The variety of the Marble wherewith it was built, was admirable, all sorts being therein used, though never so rare to bee found. In every room also were many vessels of gold, and silver, and many Porches round about, adorned with most curious Pillars: There were in it very many pleasant walks, adorned with all sorts of Trees, and Gardens, beset with Fountains that spouted up water on high, and Cisterns beauti…yed with many Brazen Statues, from which ranne out water continually.