The Holy City
Or Historical and Topographical Notices of Jerusalem with Some Account of its Antiquities and of its Present Condition

This 1845 publication uses extensive first-hand knowledge of Jerusalem's topography and antiquities to support the traditional location of Calvary.

George Williams (Author), W. F. Witts (Illustrated by)

9781108053648, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 11 October 2012

564 pages, 28 b/w illus. 2 maps
21.6 x 14 x 3.2 cm, 0.71 kg

Published in 1845, this work supports the traditional location of Calvary against the challenges of contemporary scholarship. Since the opening of Palestine to foreign travellers in the 1830s, there had been tremendous interest in locating places described in biblical narrative. The site of the Holy Sepulchre, established by Constantine in the fourth century, allowed no space for a centre of Protestant worship. Some met this challenge by using close study of the Bible and first-century texts alongside topographical evidence to try to dismiss the site's location as inaccurate. In 1841, George Williams (1814–78) had accompanied as chaplain the party of the first Anglican bishopric in Jerusalem, using his time there to gain unrivalled topographic knowledge of the region. In this well-illustrated work, he draws on both physical and literary evidence to conclude that the case for the traditional site is sound, while also surveying the great city's history and character.

Preface
Part I. History: 1 Jerusalem from its foundation to its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar
2. From the restoration under Cyrus, to its destruction by Titus
3. From the rebuilding of 'Aelia Capitolina', under Adrian, to its destruction by Chosroes
4. Jerusalem under the Christian and Mahommedan domination
Part II. Topography, Antiquities, etc.: 1 Church of the holy sepulchre, and Dr Robinson's topography
2. The Jewish temple, and the fortress Antonia
3. Antiquities without the city
4. Modern Jerusalem, and its inhabitants
Appendix
Chronological table
Index.

Subject Areas: Historical geography [HBTP]