od. l. xvi. tit. viii. leg. 1. Godefroy, tom. vi.
p. 215.]

[Footnote 56: Et interea (during the civil war of Magnentius) Judaeorum
seditio, qui Patricium, nefarie in regni speciem sustulerunt, oppressa.
Aurelius Victor, in Constantio, c. xlii. See Tillemont, Hist. des
Empereurs, tom. iv. p. 379, in 4to.]

[Footnote 57: The city and synagogue of Tiberias are curiously described
by Reland. Palestin. tom. ii. p. 1036-1042.]

[Footnote 58: Basnage has fully illustrated the state of the Jews under
Constantine and his successors, (tom. viii. c. iv. p. 111-153.)]

Chapter XXIII: Reign Of Julian.--Part III.

In the midst of a rocky and barren country, the walls of Jerusalem [59]
enclosed the two mountains of Sion and Acra, within an oval figure of
about three English miles. [60] Towards the south, the upper town, and
the fortress of David, were erected on the lofty ascent of Mount Sion:
on the north side, the buildings of the lower town covered the spacious
summit of Mount Acra; and a part of the hill, distinguished by the name
of Moriah, and levelled by human industry, was crowned with the stately
temple of the Jewish nation. After the final destruction of the temple
by the arms of Titus and Hadrian, a ploughshare was drawn over the
consecrated ground, as a sign of perpetual interdiction. Sion was
deserted; and the vacant space of the lower city was filled with
the public and private edifices of the Aelian colony, which spread
themselves over the adjacent hill of Calvary. The holy places were
polluted with mountains of idolatry; and, either from design or
accident, a chapel was dedicated to Venus, on the spot which had been
sanctified by the death and resurrection of Christ. [61] [61a] Almost
three hundred years after those stupendous events, the profane chapel of
Venus was demolished by the order of Constantine; and the removal of the
earth and stones revealed the holy sepulchre to the eyes of mankind.
A magnificent church was erected on that mystic ground, by the first
Christian emperor; and the effects of his pious munificence were
extended to every spot which had been consecrated by the footstep of
patriarchs, of prophets, and of the Son of God. [62]

[Footnote 59: Reland (Palestin. l. i. p. 309, 390, l. iii. p. 838)
describes, with learning and perspicuity, Jerusalem, and the face of the
adjacent country.]

[Footnote 60: I have consulted a rare and curious treatise of M.
D'Anville, (sur l'Ancienne Jerusalem