A remarkable archaeological discovery has just been revealed in Jerusalem: a 40-meter-long section of the Hasmonean city wall, dating back to the late 2nd century BCE. Exposed during excavations at the Tower of David – Jerusalem Museum, this is one of the best-preserved and longest Hasmonean fortifications ever found.

Built from massive stones and originally towering more than 10 meters high, the wall is identified with what ancient historians called “the First Wall.” Josephus described it as “impossible to conquer,” fortified with sixty towers.

Yet the newly uncovered section shows signs of systematic destruction — not erosion, but deliberate demolition.
Archaeologists now debate who destroyed it:
Was it dismantled by the Hasmoneans themselves under pressure from Antiochus VII during a siege?
Or was it torn down later by King Herod, determined to erase the legacy of the Hasmonean rulers he replaced?