Building The Second Temple 537
BC
Preparation for the new Temple
began. First, however, a more substantial level
platform needed to be organized. This necessitated
the erection of massive retaining walls, of which
some of the stone blocks each weighed nearly 100
tons.
Work on the Temple itself then
took shape, based upon a similar but much larger
design, although without any annexes. The stone
was quarried rom beneath the Old City. This was
done because of its white colour and fine texture.
It has been said that Solomon too had obtained his
stone from the same quarry, but this has never
been proved. The quarry still exists underground
and access may be achieved via the entrance
situated between the Damascus and Herod’s Gates.
Once again the roof was
supported by 14 pillars. However, impressive
though it was, the structure was not decorated
nearly so lavishly as in the days of Solomon, nor
were there any pillars at the porch. Recent
exploration has revealed that the foundations
around the south-east corner went to a depth of
160 feet below ground level. It would mean that in
those days these massive walls could have been
nearly 300 feet high in places. This, though, is
no longer apparent as, over the centuries, the
steep valleys adjoining Mount Moriah have become
filled with excavation rubble and building debris
so that now they have become quite shallow.
514 BC
After numerous delays,
resulting in the work being spread over 23 years,
the Second Temple was finally completed and
re-dedicated in the reign of Darius I, Emperor of
Persia (34). The time lapse between the dedication
of the First Temple (957 BC) and reconstruction of
the second Temple (537 BC) was 420 years, and not
about 500 years as some have contended.
During the latter part of the
first century BC, King Herod the Great (37-4 BC)
enlarged the area of the platform and greatly
enhanced the second Temple in an unsuccessful
attempt to gain popularity. He created a huge
cloistered quadrangle or series of porticos with
buildings for both staff and animals. This was
further protected by a large fort and tower, later
called Antonio. Despite sundry attacks by the
Syrians, Greeks and Romans, and interspersed by
periods of neglect, the Temple remained functional
for nearly 600 years.
It is interesting to note that,
during the period of the Jewish Hasmonaean Dynasty
(152 - 37 BC), a beautifully appointed stone
chamber (84 feet x 60 feet) was constructed
underground beneath the former Council House (or
Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem. It was used for many
years by the operative masons of that period. They
believed that it had been used for arcane
religious rites at the time of Solomon. However,
there is no firm evidence to support this. It
still exists, and is located just west of the
subterranean Wilson’s Arch near the Wailing Wall.
It is regarded as one of the finest examples of
such work from the late Hellenistic period.
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