"... And they built the City of David and surrounded it with a big and strong wall and strong towers and it became an Acra" (Maccabees I, 1.3).
Recently by the City of David in Jerusalem a massive wall 3 m wide was discovered, which only preserved the foundations. The width of this wall and its construction characteristics, as well as the fact that on its western side rests an impressive tower indicate that it was a section from the fortifications. The fact that the wall is damaged by water facilities (ritual baths and cisterns) dated Second Temple provided an initial chronological anchor for dating it. The homogeneous pottery found in situ is typical for second century BCE. Most of the coins are from the Seleucid period.
This discovery is without any doubt very important. Because of the very few architectural remains uncovered in Jerusalem from the second century BC, the restoration suggestions regarding the possible location of the Acra were based on historical sources (Books of Maccabees, Josephus Flavius) and on the topographical data. There were many tentative by important archeologists to identify the location of the Acra. This new discovery allows for the first time to describe the settlement and the appearance of the city on the eve of the Maccabean Revolt. It also explains why Judah the Maccabee reconquered easily the Temple after the seizure of this fortress.
