Jerusalem Final

When did the Romans destroy the Second Jewish Temple?

70 CE

What year marks the destruction of the Second Temple?

70 CE

When was the Dome of the Rock completed?

691/2 CE

When did the Crusaders conquer Jerusalem?

1099 CE

When did Caliph Umar capture Jerusalem?

638 CE

When was the Council of Nicaea convened?

325 CE

Who modified the Second Jewish Temple originally constructed in 515 BCE?

King Herod

When did King Herod begin his modifications of the Second Temple?

20 BCE

Which Roman emperor renamed Jerusalem “Aelia Capitolina”?

Hadrian

What is the name of the Roman north-south road through Jerusalem?

Cardo Maximus

What temple did Hadrian order built on the western hill of Jerusalem?

Temple of Aphrodite

What edict did Constantine issue in 313 CE?

The Edict of Milan

What did the Edict of Milan accomplish?

It made Christianity a licit (legal) religion

When was the Council of Nicaea held, affirming Jerusalem’s honored position?

325 CE

What role did the Council of Nicaea assign to Jerusalem?

Identified it as an honored city and supported church construction.

What church did Constantine commission in the western part of Jerusalem?

The Church of the Anastasis (Holy Sepulchre)

Which historian described Constantine’s efforts in Jerusalem?

Eusebius of Caesarea

When was the Council of Chalcedon held?

451 CE

What did the Council of Chalcedon affirm about Jesus?

His divinity

What title did the Council of Chalcedon give to the Virgin Mary?

Theotokos (“God-bearer”)

Which Byzantine emperor built a massive basilica-style church to honor the Virgin Mary?

Justinian

What is the name of the church built by Justinian?

The Nea Church (New Church)

Where can the remains of Justinian’s Nea Church be seen today?

In the modern Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem

Where was the 6th-century Madaba Map discovered?

Madaba, Jordan

According to Islamic tradition, where did Caliph Umar pray when he visited Jerusalem in 639 CE?

On the Eastern Hill, associated with Solomon’s Temple

What dynasty began construction projects in Jerusalem after Caliph Umar’s visit?

The Umayyad Dynasty

What are the dates of the Umayyad Dynasty?

661–750 CE

What structure did Caliph Abd al-Malik build in 691 CE, and where?

The Dome of the Rock on the Foundation Stone

Which Quranic surah is associated with the southern mosque edge of the Temple Mount?

Surah 17

What journey does Surah 17 describe?

The Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey to the Farthest Mosque

What is the name of the Prophet Muhammad’s ascent to heaven?

The Mi’raj (Ascension)

When did Nasir Khusraw visit Jerusalem?

1047 CE

What valley did Nasir Khusraw describe as the site of the final judgment?

The Kidron Valley

Which pope called for the First Crusade in 1095 CE?

Pope Urban II

How did Pope Urban II refer to Jerusalem?

As the navel of the earth

What is the Greek term for the “navel” or center of the earth?

Omphalos

Where is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre located in the Old City of Jerusalem?

​In the Northwest Quarter

What did Crusaders call Golgotha, and what was associated with it?

They called it the Tomb of Adam

When were the modern Old City walls of Jerusalem built?

Between 1536–1541 CE, by Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent

What biblical name for Jerusalem migrated to the Western Hill during the Byzantine period?

Zion

What did the Latin community call the Church of the Anastasis?

The Holy Sepulcher

Three Distinct Perspectives on the Dome of the Rock

1.Association with the Prophet Muhammad

The Dome of the Rock is deeply tied to Islamic tradition, particularly the Night Journey (Isra) and Ascension (Mi’raj) of the Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic belief, Muhammad traveled from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) and ascended to heaven from the Foundation Stone, making the site sacred in Islam.

2.Connections to Biblical and Jewish Tradition

The Dome of the Rock is also significant in Jewish and Christian traditions. The Foundation Stone is traditionally identified as Mount Moriah, the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac. Jewish tradition also associates it with the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The structure, therefore, symbolizes continuity and tension between these religious traditions.

3.Inscriptions and the Christian-Islamic Relationship

The inscriptions within the Dome of the Rock engage in theological dialogue with Christianity. They emphasize Islamic monotheism, rejecting the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, while presenting Jesus as a prophet. This highlights the Islamic perspective on Christianity and positions Islam as both a continuation and correction of previous Abrahamic faiths.

The Madaba Map and the Vision of Christian Jerusalem

The Madaba Map, a 6th-century mosaic, depicts an idealized Christian Jerusalem, centered on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It presents the city as a holy space, emphasizing Christian landmarks over others. However, the map also reflects the enduring Roman urban layout, such as the Cardo Maximus, revealing the difficulty of escaping the city’s Roman foundations despite its Christianization.

Crusader Modifications to the Temple Mount

When the Crusaders took Jerusalem in 1099 CE, they transformed the Temple Mount to suit Christian purposes. The Dome of the Rock was converted into a church, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque became the “Temple of Solomon,” serving as administrative and military headquarters for the Knights Templar. These modifications reflected the Crusaders’ attempt to Christianize the city’s Islamic landmarks and assert dominance over the holy site.