How big was Jerusalem at the time of Jesus?

[Zebra]

I checked it out. It was just a wee bit smaller than Los Angeles.

ok

 

[surada]

People also lived outside the walls, so the urban region itself would have been higher.

It was bandit territory. Not safe outside the walls.

 

[surada]

The 70 A.D. revolt probably did kill over a million Jews, but I doubt they were all in Jerusalem. The 67 B.C. siege killed around 12,000 defenders, so I would guess maybe 40,000 to 60,000 would be able to cram themselves in, up to 150,000 if you count the suburbs. Battles around the city could easily involve hundreds of thousands, of course. As a market town, the daytime population would be far larger than the nighttime population after the gates closed for the night.

The population of all of Palestine never exceeded 700,000 people.

Exaggeration is routine.

 

[surada]

Even today, Jerusalem is not that big geographically, but I suspect in the first century its population was more than a few hundred. The Great Revolt there claimed hundreds of thousand of lives. Tacitus estimated the casualties from this clash at 600,000 (Histories V, 13). Josephus estimated them at 1.1 million (Wars 6.9.3). Some current estimates determine the casualties to be at more than 1.3 million, an estimate that includes civilians such as moderate Jews visiting the city to celebrate Passover.

The casualties included Romans, too, but a couple hundred Jewish soldiers could not have killed a million Roman soldiers.

Don't you think the numbers are exaggeration? Even in1900 AD the whole population of Palestine was just 750,000.

 

[norwegen]

Don't you think the numbers are exaggeration? Even in1900 AD the whole population of Palestine was just 750,000.

The casualties? No. Thousands of Jews made pilgrimages to Jerusalem every year, and thousands of Roman soldiers were on site for the Jewish revolt.

The population? Yes. It didn't number in the hundreds of thousands, but surely it was more than a few hundred. It was the commercial, cultural, and political hub of Judaism.

 

[surada]

It was a major destination for travelers, both to pay taxes and pilgrimages, which means it was packed to the rafters inside as well as outside to maybe five times its permanent residents. ME cities always had much higher population densities than European ones. People s;ept om floors, benches, rooftops and stables, especially on holidays. Tents outside the city itself and villages within walking distance make for big crowds. 'A few hundred' is simply absurd.

They know where the wall were and how much housing was within the walls. Even with crowded conditions it was quite small. Are you an archeologist?

 

[surada]

The casualties? No. Thousands of Jews made pilgrimages to Jerusalem every year, and thousands of Roman soldiers were on site for the Jewish revolt.

The population? Yes. It didn't number in the hundreds of thousands, but surely it was more than a few hundred. It was the commercial, cultural, and political hub of Judaism.

I think the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem were 600. The other Roman garrisons were stationed in Syria and were joined by other foreign soldiers from the Roman empire. It was a short cut to Roman citizenship.

 

[surada]

It was a major destination for travelers, both to pay taxes and pilgrimages, which means it was packed to the rafters inside as well as outside to maybe five times its permanent residents. ME cities always had much higher population densities than European ones. People s;ept om floors, benches, rooftops and stables, especially on holidays. Tents outside the city itself and villages within walking distance make for big crowds. 'A few hundred' is simply absurd.

You should actually read the link. It's not about the first century.

Explain to me why travelers and pilgrims would go to Jerusalem to pay taxes?

 

[surada]

The casualties? No. Thousands of Jews made pilgrimages to Jerusalem every year, and thousands of Roman soldiers were on site for the Jewish revolt.

The population? Yes. It didn't number in the hundreds of thousands, but surely it was more than a few hundred. It was the commercial, cultural, and political hub of Judaism.

Where did these thousands of Roman soldiers stay in Jerusalem?

 

[surada]

norwegen

A full battalion of Roman soldiers would have included 600 men at full strength. It's unclear whether that many were stationed there at this time. Given the crowds coming into Jerusalem for Passover (Matthew 26:17), that's entirely possible.

 

[surada]

Archaeologists don't deal in certainties. They deal in probabilities. So there will always be uncertainty in what they believe.

While overlooking Jerusalem, the Antonia Fortress was garrisoned with 600 Roman soldiers, who watched over the Temple courts in order to preserve order.

The Bible spoke about the Antonia Fortress as a barracks (Acts 21:37), and it was here that Paul gave an address to the people (Acts 22:1-21). Paul was held in the fortress in protective custody until a military escort took him to Caesarea (Acts 23:12-24, 31-35).

See also Acts 21:32-36.

 

[surada]

There were at least 6,000 Roman Soldiers stationed in Jerusalem in the 1st Century CE.

If the population of Israel's Capital was only a few hundred, I seriously doubt Rome would have stationed an entire legion there in 66CE.

600 not 6000.

A full battalion of Roman soldiers would have included 600 men at full strength. It's unclear whether that many were stationed there at this time. Given the crowds coming into Jerusalem for Passover (Matthew 26:17), that's entirely possible.

 

[surada]

The Fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE: A Story of Roman Revenge

During the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Roman general Titus stormed the great city in a bloody battle that destroyed much of region.

warfarehistorynetwork.com

The Fall of Jerusalem: Titus’ Army vs Jewish Defenses

Waiting for the Romans in Jerusalem were 23,400 troops: 15,000 under Simon, 6,000 under John, and 2,400 under Eleazar. The Jews possessed “fortitude of soul that could surmount faction, famine, war and such a host of calamities,” wrote Josephus.

 

[surada]

Why did Rome destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD?

This was prophesied in the Bible. In 66 C.E. when the Roman procurator of Judea, Gessius Florus, seized funds from the sacred temple treasury, the enraged Jews had had enough. Soon, Jewish fighters swarmed into Jerusalem, slaughtered the local Roman garrison, and declared their independence from Rome.

About three months later, over 30,000 Roman troops, led by Cestius Gallus, advanced on Jerusalem to crush the rebellion. The Romans quickly penetrated the city and undermined the outer wall of the temple area. Then, for no apparent reason, they retreated. The Jewish rebels rejoiced and promptly gave chase. With the warring parties away, the Christians, heeding Jesus’ warning, fled from Jerusalem to the mountains beyond the Jordan River.—Matthew 24:15, 16.

Mathew 24:15″ Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place+ (let the reader use discernment), 16 then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains.”

In June 70 C.E., Titus ordered his soldiers to strip the Judean countryside of trees, which were used in building a 4.5-mile-long (7 km) wall of pointed stakes around Jerusalem. By September, the Romans had plundered and burned the city and its temple and had torn them apart stone by stone, just as Jesus had earlier foretold. (Luke 19:43, 44)

Luke 19:43 “Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification of pointed stakes and will encircle you and besiege you* from every side.+ 44 They will dash you and your children within you to the ground,+ and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you,+ because you did not discern the time of your being inspected.”

According to a conservative estimate, “between a quarter and a half million people perished in Jerusalem and the rest of the country.”

This account confirms the reliability and accuracy of Bible prophecies and establishes that they are inspired by God.—2 Peter 1:19-21. It would be good if everyone studies the truth given in the Bible.

 

[Mack The Finger]

70 A.D. The 67 B.C.

Thanks for using those...there is no such thing as BCE. Iran / Afghan, China (year: 4722), lunisolar and the Ethiopian are all different.

That liberal skat drives me up a wall. (it is all because the Catholic Church [the new Jews] stared it.

 

[surada]

There were at least 6,000 Roman Soldiers stationed in Jerusalem in the 1st Century CE.

If the population of Israel's Capital was only a few hundred, I seriously doubt Rome would have stationed an entire legion there in 66CE.

Nope. There were between 500-600 Roman soldiers stationed in Jerusalem in the first century. There were Roman garrisons in Syria and in 70 AD foreign soldiers from all over the Roman empire assembled on the Plain of Megiddo to put down the rebellion. Most scholars think they numbered around 30,000.

 

[surada]

The 70 A.D. revolt probably did kill over a million Jews, but I doubt they were all in Jerusalem. The 67 B.C. siege killed around 12,000 defenders, so I would guess maybe 40,000 to 60,000 would be able to cram themselves in, up to 150,000 if you count the suburbs. Battles around the city could easily involve hundreds of thousands, of course. As a market town, the daytime population would be far larger than the nighttime population after the gates closed for the night.

The population of Rome in the first century was about 500,000 and it was the latest city in the Roman empire.

 

[norwegen]

norwegen

A full battalion of Roman soldiers would have included 600 men at full strength. It's unclear whether that many were stationed there at this time. Given the crowds coming into Jerusalem for Passover (Matthew 26:17), that's entirely possible.

Rome didn't merely send battalions. She sent legions - four legions in AD 69 alone, shortly before Passover. One legion consisted of some 5,000 troops, not to mention the auxiliary forces.

These soldiers camped

norwegen

A full battalion of Roman soldiers would have included 600 men at full strength. It's unclear whether that many were stationed there at this time. Given the crowds coming into Jerusalem for Passover (Matthew 26:17), that's entirely possible.

Rome sent legions, not merely battalions. She sent four legions in AD 69 alone, just before Passover, and it was thirty-odd years after Jesus entered Jerusalem. One legion consisted of some 5,000 men plus auxiliary troops.

These troops camped outside the city. Read the Olivet Discourse about how armies would encompass Jerusalem.

 

[surada]

Rome didn't merely send battalions. She sent legions - four legions in AD 69 alone, shortly before Passover. One legion consisted of some 5,000 troops, not to mention the auxiliary forces.

These soldiers camped

Rome sent legions, not merely battalions. She sent four legions in AD 69 alone, just before Passover, and it was thirty-odd years after Jesus entered Jerusalem. One legion consisted of some 5,000 men plus auxiliary troops.

These troops camped outside the city. Read the Olivet Discourse about how armies would encompass Jerusalem.

Ok ... I'm confused

Roman battalion, or cohort, was a standard military unit in a Roman legion that typically had 480 soldiers. The size of a cohort changed over time and depending on the situation. For example, during the Marian reforms in 107 BC, legions were made up of 5,200 men and were divided into 10 cohorts, with the first cohort being double strength.

Roman legion - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[norwegen]

Ok ... I'm confused

Roman battalion, or cohort, was a standard military unit in a Roman legion that typically had 480 soldiers. The size of a cohort changed over time and depending on the situation. For example, during the Marian reforms in 107 BC, legions were made up of 5,200 men and were divided into 10 cohorts, with the first cohort being double strength.

Roman legion - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thousands of Romans were in Judea during the war.