Jerusalem: Herod's enlarged Temple Mount
description: This aerial photograph of the modern <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount, looking toward the northeast (with the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock roughly in its center and the gray dome of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The only mosque on the Temple Mount/Haram esh-Sharif. It sits on the southwest corner of the platform and has a gray dome. Further Reading '>Al-Aqsa Mosque at its southern end), one can see just how large and well-built <span class="tooltip" title=' A Jewish king of Edumaean descent who ruled Palestine under Roman authority from 40-4 BCE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>King Herod's expansion of the Jewish Temple complex was. The resulting complex was 36 acres in size and the southern extents soared impressively above the surrounding landscape. The southeastern corner is 130 feet above bedrock and more than twice that height above the <span class="tooltip" title=' The valley that runs southeast from Jerusalem down to the Dead Sea. Further Reading '>Kidron Valley floor. It is truly one of the great architectural feats of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Refers both to a period (i.e., from Alexander the Great to the Romans, which is 332 - 64 BCE in our region) and the Greek culture that Alexander brought. Further Reading '>Hellenistic or Roman periods. In the center background you can see the water tower and buildings of the Hebrew University campus on <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill jus…
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerusalem: south of the Temple Mount
description: This aerial photograph shows the southern part of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount and its massive wall. In the foreground of this photograph is the spine of the hill that was the location of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Built by David ca. 970 BCE on the site of the earlier Jebusite city Jebus; it was also called Jerusalem. It physically sits on the slope of hill south of the modern Old City and Temple Mount, near the Gihon Spring. Further Reading '>City of David in the First Temple period. To the top right is the building of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The only mosque on the Temple Mount/Haram esh-Sharif. It sits on the southwest corner of the platform and has a gray dome. Further Reading '>Al-Aqsa mosque (its grey dome is just cut off), and to its left, the modern building with the arched windows is Yeshivat Esh ha-Torah (a Jewish orthodox learning center).
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerusalem: Solomon's Stables
description: This photograph was taken underneath the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount, in the area known as Solomon's Stables (at the southern end of the Temple Mount, underneath the current Al Aqsa Mosque). Rather than being stables, they are cavernous halls that were built during <span class="tooltip" title=' A Jewish king of Edumaean descent who ruled Palestine under Roman authority from 40-4 BCE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>King Herod's expansion of the Temple Mount. The arches supported flat paving stones on the Temple Mount's surface, thus allowing Herod to level and flatten the elevated surface of the Temple Mount compound. The monumental steps on the southern side of the Temple Mount led through the Hulda Gates into this area before reaching the top of the Temple Mount.
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerusalem: aerial view
description: In this photograph of the Old City of Jerusalem after a winter snow, the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount and <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock are visible in the distance (to the east), as is the <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill immediately east of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Jehoshaphat Valley runs between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Further Reading '>Mount of Olives in the background and the hills of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean desert to the far right. The grey dome at the bottom of the photograph is the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Jerusalem: Temple Mount
description: In this photograph the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock is visible in the upper left and the dome of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The only mosque on the Temple Mount/Haram esh-Sharif. It sits on the southwest corner of the platform and has a gray dome. Further Reading '>Al-Aqsa Mosque is visible in the upper right. Below them, Robinson's Arch is visible, springing out of the Western Wall (to the left). The tower rising up at the center of the photo is a minaret (a tower used by the announcer of Muslim prayers), built by the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Arabic word for "owned". The term was initially applied to the warriors who were servants of the Ayyubids, but was later used in reference to the Mamluk dynasty (1260-1516 CE) that was created by their rise to power. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Mamluks in the 14th century for the Fachariya ('women's') Mosque on the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount. In this photograph, the lighter brown color is indicative of earlier remains that have recently been excavated.
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerusalem: Temple Mount wall
description: This photograph shows a vertical seam in the eastern wall of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The 100 foot-wide southernmost stretch of the wall (the left half in the photo) is clearly Herodian construction and indicative of the <span class="tooltip" title=' A Jewish king of Edumaean descent who ruled Palestine under Roman authority from 40-4 BCE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>King Herod's additions to the Temple Mount.
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerusalem: Temple Mount
description: This aerial photograph of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount compound, taken from the northeast, shows the large platform at its center, on which sits the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock. To the left of the Dome is the Al Aqsa Mosque, and in the close foreground (at the bottom of the photo) is the eastern wall of Temple Mount with the sealed Golden Gate (known also as the Mercy Gate and the Beautiful gate). The gate was sealed in the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottoman period. In the background is the Old City of Jerusalem and even further in the background are the high rises of the modern city.
date: -0019-01-01/0070-01-01

Jerualem: Christian Quarter and Dome of the Rock
description: This close-up aerial photo of the Old City of Jerusalem depicts the complex of the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre (at the bottom left, with the two grey domes). In the middle background is the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount and the golden dome of the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock. The <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill immediately east of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Jehoshaphat Valley runs between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Further Reading '>Mount of Olives and the Arab village of Et Tur (the smaller of the two towers on the hilltop) is in the distance. The large dome within the complex of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the Anastasis ('raising up'), and underneath it is the traditional location of Jesus' tomb. The smaller dome is over the main altar in the church's basilica and the place that many Christians believed was the 'navel of the earth'. The long rectangular roofed structure beyond them that looks a bit like the peaked roof a barn or a warehouse is the Chapel of St. Helena. To the right of the Anastasis Dome is a square, bulky tower from the period of the <span class="tooltip" title=' A series of nine Christian military expeditions agains…
date: 0330-01-01/2000-01-01

Jerusalem: aerial view
description: In the background of this aerial photograph of the Old City of Jerusalem we see the hills of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean desert, as well as Transjordan in the distance. In the near distance, just beyond the city, is the <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill immediately east of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Jehoshaphat Valley runs between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Further Reading '>Mount of Olives and <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill just north of the Mount of Olives, on which the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is located. Further Reading '>Mt. Scopus. In the center of the photograph is the current Old City with its <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottoman walls. The yellow square designates the Christian Quarter with the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre at its center (that is what the arrow is pointing to). The Red oval is around the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount complex, at the center of which is the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock.
date: -0066-01-01/2000-01-01

Jerusalem in the 2nd century CE: Map
description: This map represents the common scholarly opinion about what the layout of Jerusalem looked like after the <span class="tooltip" title=" 519 BCE - 70 CE ">Second Temple period. The Jewish Temple has been destroyed and, as many scholars believe, a new temple to the Roman god Jupiter has been erected in its place on the temple platform. It also shows the proposed site for the camp of the Tenth Roman Legion (in the southwest corner of the city). The marks on the map represent the views of Prof. Eliav regarding the eastern border of the city (the black line) and the city center (the yellow box).
date: 0070-01-01/0330-01-01

Jerusalem: Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock
description: This aerial view of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount, which is looking west, shows not just the massive Temple Mount complex and the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock, but also the Al Aqsa Mosque (to the left, at the south end of the Temple Mount complex) and the eastern wall of the Temple Mount with the sealed Golden Gate (known also as the Mercy Gate and the Beautiful gate). The gate was sealed in the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottoman period. Note the tower ('minaret' in Arabic) at the top right (northwest) corner of the Temple Mount compound. It belongs to a 13th century mosque called the Ghawanima. The rectangular building to its right (north) with the white roof is a modern Arab school called Omaria. The mosque, the minaret and the Omaria all sit of the ruins and foundation of the Roman-period Antonia fortress.

The Roman Empire: Map
description: This map shows the provinces of Roman control around the Mediterranean. The red circle is around Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire, and the arrow points to the city of Constantinople, which is where <span class="tooltip" title=' Roman emperor from 306-337 CE. He recognized Christianity as the official religion of the empire and moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul). Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Constantine moved the capital of the Empire in 330 CE. The new city placed the capital on the seam between Europe and Asia.
date: 0100-01-01/0330-01-01

Jerusalem: Gold Ring Depicting the Holy Sepulchre
description: This photograph shows a gold ring that depicts the Aedicule of the Anastasis at the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was found in a 6th-century building south of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount and shows the Anastasis as a free-standing structure (which was how it would have been found prior to the 12th century CE). It might represent one of the many souvenirs that Christian pilgrims bought in Jerusalem.
date: 0500-01-01/0600-01-01

Nimrud's Castle: aerial view
description: This photograph shows Nimrud's Castle, which sits on top of a steep hill in the northern <span class="tooltip" title=' A high plateau that rises east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Modern Israel took this region from Syria in the war of 1967 (also known as the Six Day War), and continues to hold it to this day. Further Reading '>Golan Heights, underneath Mt. Hermon. It guarded one of the roads from <span class="tooltip" title=' A Phoenician city on the coast of modern day Lebanon. It and the city of Sidon were the two main Phoenician cities in antiquity. Further Reading '>Tyre to <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital of modern Syria, just to the north of the Golan Heights. It was also the capital of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 CE). Further Reading '>Damascus. This slide looks southwest; in the background is the <span class="tooltip" title=' A valley in Upper Galilee, to the west of the Golan Heights. Today it is a rich agricultural valley surrounded by steep heights to the east and west; however, in antiquity it was a swamp. Further Reading '>Huleh Valley and the hills of Upper <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee. It is unclear when this fort was built, but it was part of the area's defenses during both Crusader and Muslim control of the area. In 1187 it was the site of a large battle between <span class="tooltip" title=' An Ayyubid ruler whose victories over the Crusaders in the late 12th century CE (and particularly the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE) greatly limited the Crusader presence in Palestine. Further Reading '>Saladin and Baldwin III, the king of Jerusalem.
date: 1100-01-01/1200-01-01

Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Chapel of St. Helena
description: This photograph is taken from the Armenian chapel dedicated to Queen Helena (the mother of <span class="tooltip" title=' Roman emperor from 306-337 CE. He recognized Christianity as the official religion of the empire and moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul). Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Constantine who was entrusted by her son to oversee the building of the church in the 4th century CE). The steps in the background are the 29 steps that lead to the main hall of the church, called the Catholicon.
date: 0350-01-01/2000-01-01

Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Tomb of Jesus
description: This photograph shows the interior of the Aedicule of the Anastasis, where Christians as early as the 4th century CE believed that Jesus' body was laid before his resurrection.
date: 0350-01-01/2000-01-01

Wadi Qelt: Choziba Monastery (St. George's)
description: This photograph shows the cliff-side monastery called Choziba or St. George's Monastery, which is in the <span class="tooltip" title=' A seasonal riverbed (i.e., a dry riverbed in which water runs only during rainstorms). They are widespread in the dry regions of the Middle East. Further Reading '>Wadi Qelt, approximately 3 miles west of Jericho, in the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert. The monastery was established in the early fifth century, during the early phase of monastery activity in the region. It is still active and inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks.
date: 0400-01-01/2000-01-01

Kidron Valley: Mar Saba
description: This monastery in the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert, initially called the Great Laura and later Mar Saba (after its founder, Sabas of Cappadocia), was built in 483 CE. It is the result of <span class="tooltip" title=' The name we use today for the Roman Empire in its Christian phase, which is to say, from Constantine until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. In Palestine, Byzantine rule ended with the Islamic conquest (i.e., it lasted from 332-636 CE in our region). Further Reading '>Byzantine-era hermetic monasticism: in 457 CE, at the age of 18, Mar Saba went into the <span class="tooltip" title=' The arid region between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert to practice a laura-type monastic dedication. Twenty years later struck out on his own to live in a cave near this site; he was soon joined by other hermits. 5 years later they built the first phase of this cliff-type laura. Successive additions enlarged it.
date: 0483-01-01/2000-01-01

First Crusade: Map
description: This map shows the 3 political powers in the Mediterranean world on the eve of the <span class="tooltip" title=' A series of nine Christian military expeditions against the Muslims (primarily) between 1099 and 1272 CE. They are best known for Christian campaigns to the "Holy Land" to rid it of the ruling Muslims. Further Reading '>Crusades: Catholic Europe (yellow); the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name we use today for the Roman Empire in its Christian phase, which is to say, from Constantine until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. In Palestine, Byzantine rule ended with the Islamic conquest (i.e., it lasted from 332-636 CE in our region). Further Reading '>Byzantine Empire (orange); and the Arab kingdoms of the Middle East and North Africa (red). The arrows represent the various movements of the First Crusade toward Israel: one through the Rhine; one by ship through Venice and Constantinople; and one by ship from southern Italy through Constantinople. The stars represent the major cities involved: Constantinople, Rome, and <span class="tooltip" title=' A city in modern France where Pope Urban II preached a sermon in 1095 CE that started the First Crusade. Further Reading '>Clermont (France).

Jerusalem in the time of the First Crusade: Map
description: This map of Jerusalem during time of the <span class="tooltip" title=' A series of nine Christian military expeditions against the Muslims (primarily) between 1099 and 1272 CE. They are best known for Christian campaigns to the "Holy Land" to rid it of the ruling Muslims. Further Reading '>Crusades highlights the 3 religious foci in the city: the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the yellow circle) and the two additional crusader structures that were erected on <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount: the crusaders converted the <span class="tooltip" title=' "Kubbat ash-Sakhra" in Arabic, this is the golden-domed shrine that is located on the Temple Mount (or Haram esh-Sharif) in Jerusalem. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 CE. Further Reading '>Dome of the Rock into the Templum Domini and the Al Aqsa Mosque into the Templum Salmonis.

Belvoir Castle: Crusader architecture
description: This photograph of an archway in the Belvoir castle shows architecture typical of the <span class="tooltip" title=" 1099-1291 CE ">Crusader period - in this case, pointed arches.
date: 1100-01-01/1200-01-01

Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
description: This close-up of the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is looking northwest, shows the two domes of the church: the Anastasis (the larger dome, on the left) and the dome over the basilica (the smaller dome, on the right). The entrance to the church, and the courtyard in front of it, are at the base of the Crusader tower that is on the far left of the picture.
date: 0330-01-01/2000-01-01

Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre - plan
description: This plan shows the original layout of the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the time of <span class="tooltip" title=' Roman emperor from 306-337 CE. He recognized Christianity as the official religion of the empire and moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul). Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Constantine and his mother Helen. The complex is made of 3 separate units: at the bottom of the plan, a basilica ending with an apse and Golgotha incorporated into its layout. Between Golgotha and the Anastasis (which is the traditional location of the tomb of Jesus) is a portico.
date: 0330-01-01/2000-01-01

Montfort: aerial view
description: This photograph shows Montfort Castle ('mountain castle' in Latin), which was built by the Teutonic Order (a German order patterned after the Knights Templar) in the early 13th century. It is located in western <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee protecting one of the local roads that ran from the port city of Acre to <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital of modern Syria, just to the north of the Golan Heights. It was also the capital of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 CE). Further Reading '>Damascus. The castle was surrendered to <span class="tooltip" title=' The founder of the Mamluk dynasty. His greatest victory was against the Monguls at the Battle of Ein Galud (north of the Central Hill, in the Jezreel Valley) in 1260 CE. Further Reading '>Baybars, the Sultan of Egypt, in 1271 CE.
date: 1200-01-01/1271-01-01

Madaba: Madaba Map
description: This map was found to be part of the mosaic floor of a 6th century CE church in Madaba, Jordan (east of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The lowest place on earth (1,388 feet below sea level), it is located to the east of the Central Hill, between the modern countries of Israel and Jordan. Further Reading '>Dead Sea), and includes this map of <span class="tooltip" title=' The name we use today for the Roman Empire in its Christian phase, which is to say, from Constantine until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. In Palestine, Byzantine rule ended with the Islamic conquest (i.e., it lasted from 332-636 CE in our region). Further Reading '>Byzantine Jerusalem. A broad, column-lined street runs from the north gate south through the center of the city (called a cardo, it is a common feature of Graeco-Roman cities). At the northern end of this street (the left of the picture) there is a monumental column in a public plaza. It is interesting that the modern Arab name for the <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital of modern Syria, just to the north of the Golan Heights. It was also the capital of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 CE). Further Reading '>Damascus Gate is Bab el-'Amud ("Gate of the Column"). At the center of the map you can see the <span class="tooltip" title=" Commissioned to be built in Jerusalem by Constantine's mother Helen in 326 CE, ostensibly over the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, it became the center of Byzantine Jerusalem. Further Reading ">church of the Holy Sepulchre with its yellowish dome. The Inscription at the top left of the map reads 'The Holy City of Jerusalem' (in Greek).
date: 0500-01-01/0600-01-01

Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre - aedicule of the Anastasis
description: This photograph shows a small aedicule, a chapel built over the rock cut empty tomb believed to belong to Jesus. It stands at the center of the rotunda, the round architectural structure that was built there by the Crusaders and right underneath the great dome of the church. This part of the church is also called the 'Anastasis,' which means 'raising up' in Greek, and was named as such for the belief in Jesus' resurrection from the tomb.
date: 0350-01-01/2000-01-01

East of Jerusalem: Nebi Musa
description: This photograph shows Nebi Musa, located in the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert, on the road from Jerusalem down to the <span class="tooltip" title=' The lowest place on earth (1,388 feet below sea level), it is located to the east of the Central Hill, between the modern countries of Israel and Jordan. Further Reading '>Dead Sea. It was used as a stopping point for Muslims on their way from Jerusalem to Mecca. A hospice was in place for this purpose by the end of the 15th century and it gradually became a traditional site for the burial place of Moses (Arabic: Musa). The site was repaired by the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottomans. Beginning in the 19th century it became a pilgrimage site as part of the Nebi Musa festival, during which pilgrims would trek from Jerusalem to Nebi Musa for a week of celebration.
date: 1500-01-01/2000-01-01

Akko/Acre: aerial view of the fortifications
description: This aerial view of Acco, looking northwest, shows the Crusader fortification system, including the moat and thick walls. At the heart of the city you can see the Muslim complex of the Gazar Mosque. The port is in the background.

Akko/Acre: aerial view of the port
description: This photo gives a good view of the bay of Acco/Acre, the only natural port site between <span class="tooltip" title=' A Phoenician city on the coast of modern day Lebanon. It and the city of Sidon were the two main Phoenician cities in antiquity. Further Reading '>Tyre and Gaza. In the past it was a central port in Palestine, including in the days of the <span class="tooltip" title=' A series of nine Christian military expeditions against the Muslims (primarily) between 1099 and 1272 CE. They are best known for Christian campaigns to the "Holy Land" to rid it of the ruling Muslims. Further Reading '>Crusades. Today it is a modern Israeli/Arab city.

Vasco de Gama
description: This is a painting of Vasco de Gama, Admiral of the Seas of Arabia, <span class="tooltip" title=' The lands, people, and Empire east of Mesopotamia (in the regions of modern Iran). It conquered the Near East in the mid-6th century. Map of Cyrus&#39; kingdom | Further Reading '>Persia, India, and all the Orient for the Portuguese crown. He lived from ca. 1460-1524 and he is known for the leading the first sea voyage that circumnavigated Africa and found the sea route from Portugal to the far east.
date: 1460-01-01/1524-01-01

Cairo: Mamluk Cavalry
description: This page, from a book called Nihayat al-Sul, a <span class="tooltip" title=' The Arabic word for "owned". The term was initially applied to the warriors who were servants of the Ayyubids, but was later used in reference to the Mamluk dynasty (1260-1516 CE) that was created by their rise to power. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Mamluk manual on horsemanship that was published in <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital city of modern Egypt. It was also the capital of the Fatimid Dynasty, who ruled Palestine from 970-1099 CE. Further Reading '>Cairo in the mid- to late-14th century, offers a visual depiction of Mamluk cavalrymen. Note their spears and light armor.
date: 1300-01-01/1400-01-01

Battle of Hattin: Map
description: This map highlights the distribution of forces during the Battle of Hattin. The red represents the Crusaders; the yellow represents the Muslim encirclement of their army. To the right is the Northwest tip of the Sea of <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee and to the north of that are the hills and peaks of Upper Galilee (in the background).
date: 1187-01-01

Jerusalem: aerial view
description: The raking light in this aerial view of the Old City of Jerusalem, looking east toward the <span class="tooltip" title=' The name of the administrative region around Jerusalem in the late Second Temple and Roman periods. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert, clearly shows the Old City walls, which were built according to the orders of <span class="tooltip" title=' Suleiman I, also known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He ruled from 1520-1556. He is known for building the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, which still stand today, among other things. Further Reading '>Suleiman the Magnificent in the first half of the 16th century CE. In the distance is the <span class="tooltip" title=' The arid region between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Further Reading '>Judaean Desert. Beyond the walls of the Old City, is the <span class="tooltip" title=' A hill immediately east of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Jehoshaphat Valley runs between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Further Reading '>Mount of Olives and its Jewish cemetery (to the right of the tower on the ridge, flowing down the hillside toward the southeastern corner of the <span class="tooltip" title=' Also known as the Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic), it is the site where the Jewish Temple stood and where the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque now stand. The massive Temple Mount compound that exists today was built by Herod the Great in the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE. Further Reading '>Temple Mount). The <span class="tooltip" title=' One of the valleys that borders Jerusalem on the east and south sides. Further Reading '>Hinnom Valley is just out of sight at the bottom of the picture. Perhaps most interesting in this picture is the <span class="tooltip" title=' A relatively shallow valley that runs through the middle of the Old City of Jerusalem, emptying into the Hinnom Valley (on the south side of the city). Fur…
date: 1500-01-01/2000-01-01

Battle of Ein Galud: Map
description: This map shows the battle of Ein Galud (September 1260) between the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Arabic word for "owned". The term was initially applied to the warriors who were servants of the Ayyubids, but was later used in reference to the Mamluk dynasty (1260-1516 CE) that was created by their rise to power. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Mamluks (yellow) and the Mongols (red arrow). The Mamluks came from Egypt and the Mongols from Syria. They met at the great plains near a spring called Ein Galud (green star) in a valley at the northern end of the <span class="tooltip" title=' The hilly region that runs north-south through the middle of the Land of Israel/Palestine. It is bounded by the Jezreel Valley to the north, by the Jordan River Valley to the east, by the Negev Desert to the south, and by the Seashore Plains to the west. Further Reading '>Central Hill.
date: 1260-01-01

Horns of Hattin
description: This photograph shows the Horns of Hattin (or Hill of Hattin), which is the large, flat hilltop in the top center of the photograph. It is an extinct volcano that, from the ground, looks like two horns. Recent archaeological research has revealed a Roman village. We know from historical sources that the Crusaders were defeated by <span class="tooltip" title=' An Ayyubid ruler whose victories over the Crusaders in the late 12th century CE (and particularly the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE) greatly limited the Crusader presence in Palestine. Further Reading '>Saladin here on July 4, 1187 CE. In the background are the hills of eastern <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee; just above are the city of Tiberias and the <span class="tooltip" title=' A lake located in Lower Galilee, in the north of the Land of Israel/Palestine. The Jordan River feeds it and flows out of it. Further Reading '>Sea of Galilee.
date: 1187-01-01

The Mediterranean and Middle East in the 13th century CE: Map
description: This map represents the military movements in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the 13th century CE, including the 7th <span class="tooltip" title=' A series of nine Christian military expeditions against the Muslims (primarily) between 1099 and 1272 CE. They are best known for Christian campaigns to the "Holy Land" to rid it of the ruling Muslims. Further Reading '>Crusade of King Louis IX in 1248 CE from France to Egypt (red) and the move of the Mongols in the 13th century, emanating from their homeland of Mongolia (yellow oval) into Asia, Central Europe, and eventually Syria and Palestine.
date: 1200-01-01/1300-01-01

Crusader holdings after the Battle of Hattin: Map
description: This map of the eastern Mediterranean shows the extent of the now-small-sized Crusader state that was preserved after the Battle of Hattin (in 1187 CE). It was a small strip stretching from Acre to <span class="tooltip" title=' A Phoenician city on the coast of modern day Lebanon. It and the city of Tyre were the two main Phoenician cities in antiquity. Further Reading '>Sidon with the city of <span class="tooltip" title=' A Phoenician city on the coast of modern day Lebanon. It and the city of Sidon were the two main Phoenician cities in antiquity. Further Reading '>Tyre (represented by the yellow star) at its center. The island at the top right is Cyprus, itself a Crusader stronghold.
date: 1187-01-01/1200-01-01

Nimrud's Castle: fortifications
description: This photograph shows a close-up of the fortifications around Nimrod's Castle, including the main defensive wall and its rounded towers. The castle is located in the modern-day northern <span class="tooltip" title=' A high plateau that rises east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Modern Israel took this region from Syria in the war of 1967 (also known as the Six Day War), and continues to hold it to this day. Further Reading '>Golan Heights, on the southern slopes of Mt. Hermon, and guards the route from <span class="tooltip" title=' A Phoenician city on the coast of modern day Lebanon. It and the city of Sidon were the two main Phoenician cities in antiquity. Further Reading '>Tyre to <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital of modern Syria, just to the north of the Golan Heights. It was also the capital of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 CE). Further Reading '>Damascus. Major additions to the fortress were made in 1229 CE under the <span class="tooltip" title=' An Islamic dynasty of Kurdish origin that was centered in Cairo. After defeating the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, they ruled over parts of Palestine until 1260. Their most famous leader was Saladin. Further Reading '>Ayyubid dynasty to guard against an invasion of Damascus by the Christian Crusaders. The view looks northeast.
date: 1100-01-01/1200-01-01

Battle of Hattin: Map overview
description: This picture provides a close look at the <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee region, and highlights the 3 important sites for the Battle of Hattin (on July 4, 1187) between the Crusaders and <span class="tooltip" title=' An Ayyubid ruler whose victories over the Crusaders in the late 12th century CE (and particularly the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE) greatly limited the Crusader presence in Palestine. Further Reading '>Saladin. The red circle delineates the port city of Acre, where the Crusaders gathered. The yellow circle is the Crusader city of Tiberias which had fallen to Saladin and was a gathering point for Saladin's army. The green circle is around springs of Sepphoris, where the Crusaders rested the night before the march toward the battle began.
date: 1187-01-01

Battle of Hattin: Map detail
description: On this map the red circle surrounds the site of the Battle of Hattin, which took place on a small plateau to the west of the city of Tiberias. To the right is the northwest tip of the Sea of <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee and to the north are the hills and peaks of Upper Galilee (in the background).
date: 1187-01-01

Akko/Acre: Court of El-Jazzar Pasha
description: This is a painting of Jazzar Pasha. He was a Serbian <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottoman soldier who defected and created his own mini-kingdom in <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee that lasted for approximately 30 years. He successfully defended Acco against Napoleon in 1799. This is a painting of him holding court in Acco.
date: 1775-01-01/1805-01-01

Horns of Hattin
description: In this view from the hill of Hattin, looking NE, the cliffs of Mt. Arbel and the Sea of <span class="tooltip" title=' "The Galilee" is the hilly region north of the Central Hill in the Land of Israel/Palestine. It consists of two parts, Upper and Lower. The Sea of Galilee in Lower Galilee and the Huleh Valley in Upper Galilee mark its eastern border. Further Reading '>Galilee are in the background. The valley to the left of Arbel is the valley that the army of <span class="tooltip" title=' An Ayyubid ruler whose victories over the Crusaders in the late 12th century CE (and particularly the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE) greatly limited the Crusader presence in Palestine. Further Reading '>Saladin climbed from Tiberias to the plateau underneath Hattin where the battle took place. On Arbel we see the modern moshav of Arbel; in the plateau between Arbel and Hattin is Moshav Kfar Zeitim.
date: 1187-01-01

Jaffa: Napoleon at the Pesthouse
description: This painting, called Napoleon At The Pesthouse of Jaffa, was painted by Antoine-Jean Gros in 1804. It is a fantastical representation of Napoleon meeting lepers when he arrived at Jaffa after being beat in battle by Jazzar Pasha.
date: 1799-01-01/1800-01-01

Jerusalem: Chaim Weitzman and Faisal I
description: Chaim Weitzman was the first President of Israel. Prior to his presidency, he is widely credited as the one who convinced the British Foreign Minister Arthur <span class="tooltip" title=' Arthur Balfour was a British foreign secretary who stated the approval of the British government for a Jewish state in Palestine to the Zionist leaders (this statement is known as the Balfour Declaration). Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Balfour to create the Balfour Declaration; he was also instrumental in its drafting. He generated wide-spread support for the establishment of a State of Israel. In this picture he is meeting Amir Feisal, one of the prominent Arab leaders of the time, in an attempt to reach a settlement between Jews and Arabs regarding the settlement of Palestine in the wake of World War I.
date: 1874-01-01/1952-01-01

Jerusalem: General Allenby Entering
description: This photograph shows the British General Edmund <span class="tooltip" title=' A British Field Marshall in World War I who was in charge of the forces that captured Palestine from the Ottomans. Further Reading '>Allenby entering Jerusalem after the British took the city in World War I. He dismounted and walked into the city out of respect for it and in contradistinction to the German Emperor Wilhelm II's entry into the city on horseback in 1898. He is entering the city through the Jaffa gate, seen at the back. To the left one can see the clock tower that was built by the <span class="tooltip" title=' The Turkish empire from the 16th-20th centuries CE. Further Reading | Even Further Reading '>Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908; the British knocked it down in 1922 and it was never rebuilt.
date: 1917-01-01

Israel/Palestine in 1949: Map
description: This map shows the Rhodes Armistice Line, which delineated Israel from Transjordan after the 1948-1949 War. The armistice line provided Israel with the area that is shaded blue; the West Bank and Gaza were given to Jordan and Egypt, respectively, which were subsequently captured during the 1967 Six-Day War and occupied by the Israeli military to the present day.
date: 1948-01-01

Basel, Switzerland: Theodor Herzl
description: This is a famous photograph of Theodor Herzl at the First World Jewish Congress, looking over the Rhine in Basel, Switzerland. He was born in Hungary and became the founding leader of the Zionist movement. In 1895-1896, he wrote a seminal piece Der Judenstaat ("The Jewish State"); the English version was published in 1896 in London. He also founded Die Welt in 1898 as well as planned the Zionist Council, being elected its President in that same year. Over the next six years he advanced the cause of the Jewish people. He died in 1904.
date: 1860-01-01/1904-01-01

Cairo: Anwar Sadat
description: This is a photograph of Anwar Sadat, the third President of Egypt. He was the first Arab leader to visit Israel in 1977 and he signed a peace treaty with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1979, following the Camp <span class="tooltip" title=' The second king of Israel who founded Jerusalem as a new capital city. David ruled from ca. 1000-970 BCE and was succeeded by his son Solomon. Further Reading '>David Accords. He was assassinated by an Egyptian Army lieutenant in 1981.
date: 1918-01-01/1981-01-01

Lawrence of Arabia
description: These two photographs show the actual T. E. Lawrence (on the left) and the other of the actor Peter O'Toole, who played Lawrence in the famous movie Lawrence of Arabia. T. E. Lawrence was a British Army officer who was trained as an archaeologist before enlisting in the British Army after the start of World War I. As an officer he fought with the Arab irregular troops under the command of Emir Faisal. He convinced them to coordinate their actions in support of British strategy. He was involved in the capture of Aqaba and the fall of <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital of modern Syria, just to the north of the Golan Heights. It was also the capital of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 CE). Further Reading '>Damascus.
date: 1888-01-01/1935-01-01

Cairo: Winston Churchill and Emir Abdulla
description: This photograph shows Winston Churchill (second from right), who was at that time the British Colonial Secretary, meeting with Emir Abdullah of Transjordan (fourth from right) and Sir Herbert Samuel (between them), who was the High Commissioner of Palestine. They met in <span class="tooltip" title=' The capital city of modern Egypt. It was also the capital of the Fatimid Dynasty, who ruled Palestine from 970-1099 CE. Further Reading '>Cairo in 1921 to decide what to do with the Middle East. One of the decisions made was to give a large chunk of British-controlled territory to King Feisal of Iraq and another to the Hashemite family of Jordan.
date: 1921-01-01