Battlefield Where Ancient Roman Armies Breached Jerusalem Walls Uncovered

First Posted: Oct 25, 2016 04:59 AM EDT

Archeologists discovered the battlefield that includes the ruins of Jerusalem Walls with a section known as "Third Wall" of Jerusalem. It was breached during the Roman emperor Titus's army siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Fascinating evidence of breaking through #Jerusalem’s Third Wall at the end of the Second Temple period was discovered in the city center. pic.twitter.com/yfN9Xiq6wY

— Arik Gerber (@ArikGerber) October 21, 2016

The attacked of the Roman armies led to the destruction of the Second Temple. The team of researchers also found projectile stones that were thrown at guards who were on top on the tower. This provides evidence of the existence of wall at the site. They found 70 ballista and sling stones on the front wall that might probably fire at the Jewish guards, according to Daily Mail.

Rina Avner, one of the excavation directors stated that the quantity and density of the ballista stones and their location on a level surface with a difference in elevation of 10 cm and all of it set in front of the wall remains that they found. These are in fact proofs of a battle that was fought here during the Roman period.

The researchers also unearthed a segment of a wall over 1.9 meters wide. These were uncovered during a recent excavation in Jerusalem's Russian Compound, wherein the new campus of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design is planned to be constructed.

Avner and Kfir Arbib, the other excavation director said that this is a fascinating testimony of the intensive bombardment by the Roman army, led by Titus, on the way to attacking the city and destroying the Second Temple. They further said that the bombardment was intended to attack the sentries guarding the wall and provide cover for the Roman forces so they could approach the wall with battering rams and thereby breach the city's defenses.

These discoveries could aid in resolving the debate and issues about the exact location of the Third Wall. The findings will be presented at the New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region conference next week, according to Fox News.