Page 134 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

The Temple is in the middle of the sizable square structure (about 36 acres) with Fort Antonia located to
the upper right or northwestern side of the Temple, attached to the temple walls. Fort Antonia occupies
about three acres of this picture.

According to the historian, Josephus (37AD – 100AD), Fort Antonia housed the 10 Roman legion or
th
about 6,000 soldiers plus about 4,000 people who supported the soldiers. It was a veritable city! In
actuality, the fort in the model above could house only about 600 soldiers. So, the model is obviously
incorrect. Something is wrong.

In 333 AD, there was an anonymous pilgrim called the Pilgrim of Bordeaux who traveled to Jerusalem.
He wrote that he looked EAST from the location of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (built three years
later) and all he could see
was the old Roman fort. This
was 350 years BEFORE the
Dome of the Rock was built,
which was completed in 691
AD. He identified what is
called the Temple Mount
today as Fort Antonia. If you
go to Jerusalem today, you
will see Jews worshipping
Jehovah at the Western Wall,
located by the blue arrow in
the picture on the next page.
Jews believe that this is what

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