The Double Gate

Model of the Southern Wall of the Temple

A view of the southern wall and the excavation done in the Ophel area. Notice the location of these things:

1. Paved street,
2. The Double Gate,
3. The Triple Gate,
4. Marks from the Burnt Herodian Arches, and
5. The two large sets of stairs (not labeled) leading up to the Double and Triple Gates. It may also be of interest to recognize where the remains of the Akra, the old Seleucid fortress, is.

A labeled model of the south wall of the Temple Mount as it appeared in 66 AD.

 

 Southern Wall of the Temple Mount

 

Southern Wall of the Temple

 

Double Gate

This photo is the southern double gate that led to a stairway that still exists on the other side of the wall that led worshippers to the Temple Mount. This wall contains  a stone fragment from   the base of a Roman statue from the Temple Mount dedicated to Hadrian’s successor.

 

Double Gate Lintel Box

The  very top stone in the very upper right corner of this photo is a piece of stone from the base of a statue of Antoninus Pius that stood on the temple mound (outlined in blue). The stone contains an inscription. Hadrian would have had the statue set on the temple mount along with the Temple of Jupiter  that he built after his defeat of the Jews in 135 AD.

 

Roman Inscription

The upside down inscription is from the Roman statue of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD) that the Bordeaux Pilgrim recorded seeing when he was on the Temple Mount in 333 AD. The statue was destroyed by the Byzantine Christians after 333 AD, the Jews in 614 AD or the Muslims in 638 AD. This reused block is the only part found so far of the two statues (one of Hadrian, and this one of Antoninus Pius.)

Shown rightside-up, the inscription reads:

To Titus Aelius Hadrianus
Antoninus Augustus Pius
The father of the fatherland, pontifex, augur
Decreed by the Decurions

Hadrian’s inscription  reads in the original Latin as seen above:

TITO  AEL HADRIANO
ANTONINO   AUG PIO
P P PONTIF AUGUR
D D

Translation of Latin:

To Titus Ael[ius] Hadrianus
Antoninus   Aug[ustus] Pius
the   f[ather] of the f[atherland],  pontif[ex], augur.
D[ecreed]  by the D[ecurions]

 

 Entrance to Temple Court

This is a photo from the Temple Mount where the worshipper would emerge after entering the Double Gate. Today this entrance is only accessible to Muslims (down the stairs into the tunnel are the decorations in the rock walls and domed ceilings left from the Temple). The building behind this is the Al Aqsa Mosque which is considered the third most holy site in the world for Muslims after Mecca and Medina.

 

Double Gate Stairs Inside

 

 Double Gate Inside Ceiling

 

Double Gate Stairs from the East Side

 

 

Acknowledgements:  references