(3.) The hiU A era is so called by Josephus, who says it " sustained the Lower City, and was of the shape of a moon when she is horned," or a crescent ( War, v, 4, 1). It was separated from another hill (Bezetha) by a broad valley, which the Asmonieans partly filled up with earth taken from the top of Acra, so tliat it might be made lower than the Temple (ibid.'). Concerning the posi- tion of this hill there is much dispute, which can only be settled by the location of the valleys on either side of it (see Caspari, in the Stud, mid Krit. ii, 1864). See
ACRA.
(4.) The hill Bezetha, interpreted by Josephus as meaning " New City," placed by him opposite Acra, and stated to be originally lower than it, is said by him also to lie over against the tower Antonia, from which it was separated by a deep fosse ( War, v, 4, 1 and 2). See Bezetha.
(5.) Ojjhel is referred to by Nehemiah (iii, 26,27), as well as by Josephus ( War, v, 4, 2), in such connection with the walls as to show that none other can be in- tended than the ridtje of yromid <-lo])inr; to a point southward from the Tmii li ^ i. *- ')iiii .
\
(8.) Scopus is the name assigned by Josephus to an elevated plain about seven furlongs distant from the city wall in a northerly direction (War, ii, 19, 4 ; v, 2, 3), an interval that was leveled by Titus on his ap- proach from Samaria {ibid, iii, 2). By this can there- fore be meant neither the rocky prominences on the southern, nor those on the northern edge of that part of the valley of Jehoshaphat which sweeps around the city on the north, for the former are too near, and the latter intercepted by the valley ; but rather the gentle slope on the north-west of the city.
Besides these, there is mentioned in Jer. xxxi, 39, " the hill Gareb," apparently somewhere on the north- west of the city, and Goath, possibly an eminence on the west. " Mount Gihon," so confidently laid down on cer- tain maps of the ancient city, is a modern invention.
(B.) Valleys.— (l.) The principal of these was the one termed by Josephus that of the Tyropaon, or Cheese- makers, running between Zion and Acra, down as far as SUoam ( War, v, 4, 1). The southern part of this is still clearly to be traced, although much choked up by the accumulated rubbish of ages; but as to the northern part there is considerable discrepancy. Some (as Dr.
TYROPOEON \ALLEY
or HWAH MICA
Probable contour of the Hill Ophel. (From Lieutenant Warren's Sketch, Feb. 1, 1809, in Tracings of the -'Pales- tine Exploration Fund.")
(G.) Calvary, or more jiroperly Golgotha, was a small eminence, mentioned h\ the evangelists as the place of the crucifixion. Jlodern tradition assigns it to the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but this is greatly contested; the question timis chiefly upon the course of the second wall, outside of which the crucifixion un- doubtedly took place (John xix, 17). See Cai.vaiiv.
(7.) The Mount of Olires is so often referred to by Josephus, as well as in the Bible, that it can be taken for no otlicr than that which now passes mider the same name. See Olivet.
Section of the Tyropnriiii \ .1 1 ' I Mi. Al(,ii,,ii, -iK.wing the present as well as the (Hiijiiial surface. (From Lt. Warren's Sketch, Oct. 21, in Tracings of the " Palestine Exploration Fund.")
Eobinson) make it bend around the northern brow of Zion, and so end in the shallow depression bet^\•een that hill and the eminence of the Holy Sepidchre ; while oth- ers (Williams, with whose views in this particular we coincide) carrj' it directly north, through the deiiression along the western side of the mosque area, and east- ward of the church, in the direction of the Damascus Gate. See Tyuopceon.
(2.) The only other considerable valley within the city was that above referred to as lying between Acra and Bezetha. The language of Josephus, in the ]ias- sage where he mentions this valley (War, v, 4, 1), has j been understood by some as only applicable to the tip- ' per portion of that which is above regarded as the Ty- I ropreon, because he calls it " a h-oad vallc}-," and this is I the broadest in that \-icinity. But the Jewish historian ' only says that the hills Acra and Bezetha "were/o)- mdly divided by a broad valley; but in those times ^\ hen the Asmonicans reigned, tliey filled up that valley ■» itli earth, and had a mind to join the city to the Tem- I pic : they then took off a part of the height of Acra, I and reduced it to a less elevation than it was before, ]' that the Temple might be superior to it." From this it i-i tlear that in the times of Josephus this vallej' was not so distinct as formerlj', so that we must not look for it in the plain and apparently unchanged depression west of the Tem]ile, but rather in the choked and ob- scure one running northward from the middle of the northern side of the present moscjue inclosure. The union of the city and Temple across this valley is also more explicable on this ground, because it not onlj' im- plies a nearly level passage effected between the Temple area and that part of the city there intended — which is true only on the northern side, but it also intimates that there had previously been no special passage-way there — whereas on the west the Temple was connected with Zion by a bridge or causeway, besides at least two other easy avenues to the parts of the city in that direction.