Thread by @shevereshtus

The historicity, sanctity, and utility of the Western Wall is under attack.

In this first of three threads, I'll answer the question of whether it is a remnant of the Temple itself, a retaining wall of the Herodian Temple compound, a Roman Fort or later pagan temple.

A thread.

Herod the Great, in order to endear itself to the Jewish masses and prop up legitimacy to his rule due to the (right) perception that he was a Roman client and puppet instead to rule Judea, decided to embark on a grandiose renovation and expansion project of the Second Temple.

It started towards the end of 20 BCE, at first building a temporary structure so that all of the priests were able to keep bringing sacrifices daily as work was being done.

The workers on the Temple Mount themselves consisted of thousands of priests to protect its sanctity.

The Talmud in Bava Batra (3b onward) discusses Herod and the additions and changes he made to the Temple Mount (4a onward).

The project took a total of over 40+ years to complete, and was finished after his death.

During its first decade (19-10BCE), he slightly more than doubled the size of the entire Temple Mount, and built enormous retaining walls on all sides of the Temple to create a flat esplanade.

The Western Wall is, well, the western wall of this structure, and not of the Temple

The actual Sanctuary (the Heichal) was completed at the end of that decade, and is subject of an entire Mishnaic tractate that discusses in details all of the architectural details of the entire Temple Mount compound.

For the next 30 years (10BCE-20CE) there was additional work done on its courts, gates, staircases, plazas and colonnades even though Herod himself passed away in 1 BCE.

These additions included the Royal Stoa (a kind of marketplace), storage rooms and administrative buildings.

We know from archeological discoveries, for example Roman coins minted during the reign of Roman procurators were discovered sealed under a ritual bath near the Western Wall, that they were still doing major works all the way up to 17-18 CE.

Then came its destruction in either 68 CE, 69 CE, or 70 CE, depending on accounts and counts.

Either way, we know Titus captured Jerusalem and destroyed the entire Second Temple, and it's plaza, etc.

However, the retaining walls, or at least part of them, were left standing.

Yes, you read that right. Not only the Western Wall, but all of them were, to some extent, left standing.

The Western Wall itself was mostly intact. Almost 500 meters of it were left, and 60+ meters today are exposed, including tunnels.

Wait, it's almost 500 meters and only 60 meters are exposed? So what happened to them?

The prayer plaza, where everyone goes today, was only excavated in the 19th/20th century. The majority, 320 meters or so, is underground under the Muslim Quarter which was build over it.

They are still accessible to the public via the tunnel tours. It's only the Northern End, which is underground private homes and streets and the Palestinian Authority refuses to allow excavation, that is not accessible. The Southern extension is partially excavated, however.

If you want to see the Southern extension of the Western Wall, you can go to the Southern Excavation Archaeological park, near the Robinson's Arch area (where you can see remnant of streets, staircases, arches, etc... from the time period).

The Northern Retaining Wall is almost unaccessible. The foundations are there, but the upper structure was partially rebuilt, some of it was obscured. A lot of it was incorporated in later Roman and Islamic buildings.

The Eastern Wall was mostly left intact. Not as much as the Western Wall, but you can see it's full vertical face above the Kidron Valley. This is where the Golden Gate (which is closed) is located.

That wall existed prior to Herod; remnants could even be from the 1st Temple.

The Southern Wall is partially intact. You can still see several courses of the wall today. A lot of it has been excavated. This is where the Hulda Gate (which is sealed) stands, and there is a staircase that shows Herodian works from the era there.

If the Romans, Byzantines and the Muslims built structures in or around the Temple Mount, how do we know this isn't where it's from?

The amount of evidence is massive.

Let's start with proofs it is from Herodian works, then why it couldn't be from a Roman fort as some claim.

Let me introduce you to the very famous and very distinct Herodian Ashlar Masonry

The visible lower 17 to 20 courses of the Western Wall are all built from absolutely massive Herodian ashlars. They weigh on average 2 to 50 tons, with a very distinctive margin cut.

The size, their stonework, the tools used, every single one of them is consistent with the entire work elsewhere on the entire Temple Mount platform.

While the Ummayad and Mamluk added layers, its incredible clear where work was done.

In fact, the distinct size of the Herodian Ashlars would have made them absolutely impractical for military purposes.

Of course, that's not our only proof.

Since 1968, the Western Wall Tunnels have exposed over 900 feet of Herodia stonework beneath later fill.

It shows that it's clearly forming part of a retaining wall and wasn't part of an isolated formation. Behind them there are layers of city-streets and ritual baths, and then construction fill.

There are no Roman military parapets, or anything you would expect from a Roman fort.

As I mentioned earlier, coins were found sealed under the later constructions of the Temple. They were minted about 20 years after Herod died.

This is exactly according to the timeline of Josephus in regards to later renovations of the Temple.

And speaking of Josephus:

Not only archeology but Josephus himself completely disproves the claim that this was a Roman Fort, or Fortress Antonia.

Josephus describes it at the northwest corner of the Temple Mount, next to the northern portico, and not on the Western flank where the Eastern wall stands.

Josephus describes very clearly where it was positioned, all of its details and, would you have it, all the later archeological digs confirmed defensive towers, constructions and signatures at the northwest corner by the portico and nowhere else.

And it is not just Josephus. There are simply no classical accounts that describe a Roman Fort/Fortress Antonia located by the Western Wall, and there are simply no archeological discoveries to back this position whatsoever.

Looking at the wall itself, it makes no logical: where are the gates? Where are the interior barracks? The courtyard? Open areas for parades or training?

It's literally only a wall. It is massive blocks anchored into fill and unbroken for 1,600 feet on the Western flank.

To wit, we also know how Roman structures were built, both in Israel and outside, and they simply didn't use these kinds of blocks, those types of structure, or anything that resembles the Western Wall in any way, shape or form.

This is a fringe position rejected by all experts

The same goes for the idea that this is the remnant of a different pagan temple.

No structures have ever been found to suggest there was ever a pagan temple built there, especially post 69 CE.

Every single archeological find, that are being excavated to this day, refute this.

Finally, the idea that the Temple stood in the City of David itself is ridiculous.

Josephus describes exactly where the Temple Mount and Temple where, including that it was next to Fortress Antonia.

Jewish writings clearly describe the same.

No archeological data supports it.

In conclusion, it is irrefutable that the Western Wall was a retaining wall of the Temple Structure built by Herod, and those claiming otherwise are only trying to undermine the Jewish connection to the site as there is no reason according to archeology or otherwise to say so.