A briefe description of Hierusalem and of the suburbs therof, as it florished in the time of Christ Whereto is annexed a short commentarie concerning those places which were made famous by the Passion of Christ, and by the actes of holye men, confirmed by certeine principall histories of antiquity. Verie profitable for Christians to read, for the understanding of the Sacred Scriptures and Iosephus his Historie. Hereunto also is appertaining a liuely and beawtifull mappe of Hierusalem, with arithmeticall directions, correspondent to the numbers of this booke. Translated out of Latin into English by Thomas Tymme minister.

29. THE CASTLE ANTONIA,

* 1.1 strong and wel for∣tified,* 1.2 lying neere to the North side of the Temple, which was builded in time past on a high rocke fiftie cubits high,* 1.3 and very steepe round about, and the to∣wer was called Baris. In this the chiefe priests which came of the Machabees euen till Herods time inhabi∣ted: where in a Cell made for that purpose, the sacred stole of the chiefe priest was kept, the gouernour of the Tower lighting a candle there euery day. Herod the greater hauing gotten the kingdome, and seeing that this castle was conueniently scituat to command the Cittisens; that they might not seeke innouation

through sedition, repaired the same to his greate cost, and fortified it within with a roiall pallace, euen like a cittie, and with fower loftie towers at each corner, whereof three were fiftye cubits hie, and the fourth threescore and ten, from whence the whole temple might be seene: and for the fauour which hee bare to Marcus Antonius his frend, he called it ANTONIA In this castle the Romaine soldiors, kepte alwaies watch with their soldiors, hauing an eie and princi∣pall care least the people should worke any innoua∣tion in the Temple on the feast daies. And so the Temple belonged to the cittie, and the castle Antonia to the temple.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ios. 15. ant. 14. & 18.
• * 1.2

  Ant. 8.
• * 1.3

  Item. 1. bel. 3, & 4. 16, & 6. bel, 6 & aliâs sape.