As we shall eventually see, the position and dimen- sions of the present area of the Haran reasonably cor- respond to the requirements of the several ancient ac- counts of the Temple. There can be little doubt, look- ing at the natural conformation of the rocky hill itself, that the central building always occupied the summit where the Mosque of Omar now stands. The theory of Fergusson (in Smith's Diet, ef the Bible, and elsewhere) that it was situated in the extreme south-west corner of the present platform has not met with acceptance among archa'ologists. See Moriah.
The Temple was in ancient warfare almost impregna- ble, from the ravines at the precipitous edge of which it stood; but it required more artificial fortifications on its western and northern sides, which were surrounded by the city of Jerusalem ; for this reason there was erected at its north-western corner the Tower of Anto- nia, which, although standing on a lower level than the Temple itself, was so high as to overlook the sacred buildings, with which it was connected partly by a large staircase, partly bj* a subterraneous commimication. This tower protected the Temple from sudden incur- sions from the cit^' of Jerusalem, and from dangerous commotions among the thousands who were frequently assembled within the precincts of the courts; which also were sometimes used for popular meetings. See Antoklv.
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2. INIany savants have adopted a style as if they pos- sessed much information about the archives of the Tem- ple; there are a few indications from which we learn that important documents were deposited in the Taber- nacle and Temple. Even in Dent, xxxi, 26, we find that the book of the law was deposited in the ark of the cov- enant; and according to 2 Kings xxii, 8, Hilkiah redis- covered the book of the law in the liouse of Jehovah. In 2 Mace, ii, 13 we find a f3(/3XioS»;icj} mentioned, ap- parently consisting chiefly of the canonical books, and probably deposited in the Temple. In Josephus ( [Var, v, 5) it is mentioned that a book of the law was found in the Temple. It appears that the sacred writings were kept in the Temple {A7it. v, 1, 17). Copies of po- litical documents seem to have been deposited in the treasury of the Temple (1 Mace, xiv, 49). This treas- ury, 6 Ifpoc Srquavpog, was managed by an inspector, ya^vfvXa^, "i"T5, and it contained the great sums which were annually paid in by the Israelites, each of whom paid a half-shekel, and many ofwliom sent dona- tions in money and precious vessels, ava^i]jxaTa. Such costly iiresents were especially transmitted by rich pros- elytes, and even sometimes by pagan princes (2 Mace, iii, 3 ; Josephus, A nt. xiv, 16, 4 ; xviii, 3, 5 ; xix, G, 1 ; \V<ir, ii, 17, 3; v, 13, 6; Cont. Apion. ii, 5; Philo, 0pp. ii, 59 sq., 569). It is said especially that Ptolemy Philadel- phus was verj' liberal to the Temple, in order to prove his gratitude for having been permitted to procure the Sept. translation (Aristeas, De Tramlat. LXX, p. 109 sq.). The gifts exhibited in the Temple are mentioned in Luke xxi, 5 ; we rind even that the rents of the whole town of Ptolemais were given to the Temple (1 Mace, x, 39). There were also preserved historical curiosities (2 Kings xi, 10), especially the arms of celebrated heroes (Jose- phus, Ant. xix, 6, 1) : this was also the case in the Tab- ernacle.
The Temple was of so much political importance that it had its own guards (jpvXciKtQ rov upoii), which were commanded by a arpaTiiyog. Twenty men were re- quired for opening and shutting the eastern gate (Jose- phus, \Vit7; vi, 5, 3; CoiU. Apion. ii, 9; Ant. vi, 5,3; xvii, 2, 2). The dTpciTtiyog had his own secretary (^Ant. xx, 6, 2 ; 9, 3), and had to maintain the police in the courts (comp. Acts iv, 1 and v, 24). He appears to have been of sufficient dignity to be mentioned together with the chief priests. It seems that his Hebrew title was ui"^!!* r'^Sn ~n, the man of the mountain of the house {Mid- doth, i, 2). The priests themselves kept watch on three different posts, and the Levites on twenty-one posts.
It was the duty of the police of the Temple to pre- vent women from entering the inner court, and to take care that no person who was Levitically unclean should enter within the sacred precincts. Gentiles were per- mitted to pass the first enclosure, which was therefore called the Court of the Gentiles; but persons who were on an}' account Levitically unclean were not permitted to advance even thus far. Some sorts of uncleanness, for instance that arising from the touch of a corpse, ex- cluded only from the court of the men. If an unclean person had entered by mistake, he was required to offer sacritices of purification. The high-priest himself was forbidden to enter the holy of holies under penalty of death on any other day than the Day of Atonement (Philo, 0pp. ii, 591). Nobody was admitted within the precincts of the Temple who carried a stick or a basket, and who wanted to pass merely to shorten his way, or who had dusty shoes (^3fvldoth, ii, 2).
IV. Genei-al Types of the Temple. — There is perhaps no building of the ancient world which has excited so much attention since the time of its destruction as the Temple which Solomon built at Jerusalem, and its suc- cessor as rebuilt by Herod. Its spoils were considered worthy of forming the principal illustration of one of the most beautiful of Roman triumphal arches, and Jus- tinian's highest architectural ambition was that he might surpass it. Throughout the Middle Ages it in-