Jerusalem – 3000 Years of History
Explore the major periods that shaped Jerusalem from the time of King David to the modern city.
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c. 2000–1800 BCE
Abraham is tested in the Binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah, later identified with Jerusalem.
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1000 BCE
King David captures the city of Jebus and establishes Jerusalem as the capital of his kingdom.
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950 BCE
King Solomon builds the First Temple.
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701 BCE
Assyrian king Sennacherib attacks Jerusalem but fails to capture the city.
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586 BCE
Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem and destroys the First Temple.
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538 BCE
Persian king Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return from Babylon.
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515 BCE
The Second Temple is completed. Ezra and Nehemiah rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
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332 BCE
Alexander the Great conquers Jerusalem.
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63 BCE
Pompey captures Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Roman rule.
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37 BCE
Herod the Great becomes King of Judea and greatly expands the Temple Mount.
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27 - 33
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem.
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70
Roman forces under Titus destroy Jerusalem and the Second Temple.
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132 - 135
The Bar Kokhba Revolt, the second major Jewish revolt against Rome.
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135
Jerusalem becomes the Roman city of Aelia Capitolina under Emperor Hadrian.
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335
Constantine the Great begins construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
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614
Jerusalem is conquered by the Persians; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is damaged and the True Cross is taken.
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638
Jerusalem is conquered by the Muslim Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab.
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691
The Dome of the Rock is built by Caliph Abd al-Malik.
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1099
Jerusalem is conquered by the Crusaders under Godfrey of Bouillon, who becomes its ruler.
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1187
Saladin recaptures Jerusalem from the Crusaders, restoring Muslim rule in the city.
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1516
Jerusalem becomes part of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim I after the Ottoman conquest of the region.
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1538 - 1540
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilds Jerusalem’s city walls, which are the walls seen today.
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1917
British forces capture Jerusalem during World War I under General Allenby, who enters the Old City through Jaffa Gate.
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1948 - 1967
Jerusalem is divided between Israel and Jordan; West Jerusalem under Israel and East Jerusalem including the Old City under Jordan.
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1967- Today
Following the Six-Day War, Jerusalem is reunified under Israeli control.
Below is a brief overview of the major historical periods of Jerusalem.
First Temple Period
1000–586 BCE
Around 1000 BCE King David captures the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and establishes it as the capital of the united Kingdom of Israel. His son Solomon later builds the First Temple on Mount Moriah, making Jerusalem the spiritual and political center of the Jewish people. For nearly four centuries the city serves as the capital of the Kingdom of Judah until 586 BCE, when the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and exiles much of the population to Babylon.
Mount Moriah
Of the many traditions about Mount Moriah, perhaps the best known is the Binding of Isaac by Abraham as related in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 22). It is upon this same hilltop that David's son Solomon builds the First Temple.
The Large Stone
The City of David boasts a fascinating archaeological site called the Large Stone Structure. Archaeology suggests that it could be the remains of King David's palace, a grand public building dating back to the 10th-9th century BCE.
Map of Jerusalem – First Temple Period
Second Temple Period
538 BCE–70 CE
In 538 BCE the Persian king Cyrus conquers Babylon and allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and later Ezra, the Second Temple is built and the city begins to recover. In 332 BCE Alexander the Great conquers the region, bringing Greek influence to Judea. In 63 BCE the Roman general Pompey captures Jerusalem and Roman rule begins. After a major Jewish revolt against Rome, the Second Temple is destroyed in 70 CE and much of the Jewish population is expelled from the city.
Map of Jerusalem – Second Temple Period
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The church is venerated as Calvary (Golgotha), where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, and also includes the place where Jesus is said to have been buried and resurrected. Within the church are the last five Stations of The Cross along the Via Dolorosa.
The Western Wall
The lower section of the wall was constructed by King Herod 2000 years ago as a retaining wall to support the Temple Mount platform.
The Roman-Byzantine Period
70 CE–638 CE
Following tensions and policies under the Roman emperor Hadrian, including the transformation of Jerusalem into a Roman city named Aelia Capitolina, the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE) breaks out. After suppressing the revolt, Jerusalem becomes Aelia Capitolina under Roman rule. Jewish presence in the city is greatly reduced, and a temple dedicated to Jupiter is believed to have been established on the Temple Mount. During the reign of Constantine the Great in the 4th century, Christianity becomes the dominant religion of the empire and Jerusalem gains importance as a Christian holy city. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is dedicated in 335, while the Temple Mount remains largely abandoned.
First Muslim Period
638–1099
In 638 Muslim armies capture Jerusalem from the Byzantines. Under Islamic rule the city develops into an important religious center, and the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque are built on the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock, completed in 691, remains one of Jerusalem’s most recognizable landmarks to this day. During the 8th century Al-Aqsa Mosque is damaged by earthquakes and later restored. Jerusalem continues to flourish as an important city under successive Muslim dynasties.
The Crusaders
1099–1187
In 1099 Crusader armies capture Jerusalem after a long siege during the First Crusade. Large numbers of the city’s Muslim and Jewish inhabitants are killed, and Jerusalem becomes the capital of the Crusader Kingdom. Christian control over the holy sites is established, and the Temple Mount becomes the center of the Knights Templar. In 1187 the Muslim leader Saladin defeats the Crusaders and recaptures Jerusalem, bringing Crusader rule in the city to an end.
Second Muslim Period
1187–1917
Following Saladin’s conquest, Jerusalem comes under the rule of several Muslim dynasties, including the Ayyubids, Mamluks, and later the Ottoman Empire. Islamic control over the holy places is restored, and many Crusader symbols are removed from the city. Under Ottoman rule, beginning in 1517, Jerusalem experiences long periods of stability and renewal, and in the 16th century Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilds the city walls that still surround the Old City today.
Present Time
1917–Today
During World War I British forces capture Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire, and the city becomes part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Growing tensions between Jewish and Arab communities eventually lead to the end of British rule. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel declares independence and the War of Independence begins. After the war Jerusalem is divided between Israel and Jordan, with the Old City under Jordanian control. During the Six-Day War in 1967 Israel captures the Old City and eastern Jerusalem, reuniting the city under Israeli control.
General Edmund Allenby entering Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate after the British capture of the city, December 11, 1917.
