Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered the first Roman public structure ever discovered in the city, believed to be a theatre.
The building, which dates from the 2nd or 3rd Century AD, was found below the Western Wall tunnels of the Old City.
Experts believe it may date back to Emperor Hadrian’s reign and was likely used as an odeon – a venue for musical and dramatic performances.
The find, described as ‘sensational’, confirms historical writings that describe a theatre near the Temple Mount.
Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered the first Roman public structure ever discovered in the city, believed to be a theatre. Experts believe it may date back to Emperor Hadrian’s reign and was likely used as an odeon, a venue for musical and dramatic performances
Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who made the discovery, knew the wall section was there and had expected to find a Roman street at its base.
As they excavated further, they realised that, instead of a street, they had uncovered a circular building, beneath Wilson’s Arch.
The structure, named for 19th-century explorer and surveyor Charles Wilson, dates to the second temple period and served as a passageway for people entering the temple compound.
The date of construction of the 200-seat auditorium, which appears to be unfinished, was confirmed by carbon dating.
The IAA, who conducted a two-year dig at the site, said that historical sources mention similar structures, but in 150 years of modern archaeological research in the city none had been found.
The Western Wall is among the last remnants of the retaining structures which surrounded the second Jewish temple until its destruction by the Romans in 70 AD.
Previously, the last section to be exposed was in 2007.
The section of the 2,000-year-old Western Wall most recently uncovered by diggers is about 15 metres in width and eight metres high, with the stones very well preserved.
‘Exposing parts of the Western Wall is of course extremely, extremely, extremely exciting,’ Dr Joe Uziel, one of the researchers who worked on the study, said.
Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who made the discovery, knew the wall section was there and had expected to find a Roman street at its base
‘But the structure we are looking at right now we had no idea would be here.’
IAA chief Jerusalem architect Dr Yuval Baruch added: ‘It’s probably the most important archaeological site in the country, the first public structure from the Roman period of Jerusalem.
‘We know a lot about dwelling houses, a lot about installations, water systems, roads, streets but this is the first time we can present to the public a Roman public structure.’
The building could have been a meeting chamber for Roman administrative officials or a concert venue, but its location under an ancient arch which could have served as its roof gave a clue.
As they excavated further, they realised that, instead of a street, they had uncovered a circular building, confirming historical writings that describe a theater near the Temple Mount
‘This is a relatively small structure compared to known Roman theatres,’ a statement from the IAA said.
‘This fact, in addition to its location under a roofed space, in this case under Wilson’s Arch, leads us to suggest that this is a theatre-like structure of the type known in the Roman world as an odeon.’
‘In most cases, such structures were used for acoustic performances.
‘Alternatively, this may have been a structure known as a bouleuterion, the building where the city council met,’ the IAA said.
Dr Uziel said that the archaeologists worked with care, mindful of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian worshippers nearby.
‘We did not want to disturb any of the religious activities that were occurring in this area,’ he said.
In 1996, the opening of a tunnel adjacent to the latest finds sparked clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian police and civilians in which more than 80 people were killed.
Palestinians said the tunnel threatened the foundations of the adjoining Al-Aqsa mosque complex, Islam’s third holiest site.
The building, which dates from the 2nd or 3rd Century AD, was found below the Western Wall tunnels of the Old City
The section of the 2,000-year-old Western Wall uncovered by diggers is about 15 metres (16 yards) in width and eight metres (nine yards) high, with the stones very well preserved
The status of Jerusalem and its holy sites is among the most sensitive issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital, while the Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.