Herod’s palace discovered and new historical proofs about King David

A couple of days ago The Washington Post reproposed the thesis already expounded in the book The Final Days of Jesus of 2010 by Prof. Shimon Gibson, archaeologist at the University of Carolina in Charlotte: it looks like Herod’s palace has been found in the Old City of Jerusalem, where Pontius Pilate judged Jesus.

It is probable the praetorium has been found, where Pontius washed his hands of Jesus’s fate, right before surrendering him to the Jewish authorities. The Gospel of John describes the place as a building located at the gate of the city, on a bumpy stone pavement, artistically called Lithostrotus. The palace found by Gibson is actually located next to the Jaffa gate and does have a bumpy pavement.

However, reading the Gospels, it seems more accurate to see a connection between this discovery and the Antonia Fortress, Pilate’s house, situated on the north side of the Temple, now the starting point of the pilgrimages for the Via Dolorosa. Gibson  does not agree: «Everything — archaeological, historical and gospel accounts — all falls into place and makes sense». Even Anglican pastor David Pileggi is convinced that the discovery inside the prison confirmed «what everyone expected all along, that the trial took place near the Tower of David». The two theses coexist still today, both supported by a good reasons.

Concerning King David, the Metropolitan Museum of Art exposed a 3000-year-old rock (from 830 BC), which would add to the evidence of the historical existence of the Old Testament’s big protegonist (although 150 years after the historical period in which he is believed to have lived). The inscription on the rock displays evidently the reference to the nation of Judah as “House of David”, thereby showing that David was well known in that area corresponding to today’s State of Israel. According to the experts, it is  the most important discovery ever made in relation to the Bible. In a previous article, we spoke about the historical proofs about King David and answered the criticisms from Prof. Zeev Herzog.

The Editorial Staff