ls end. Of these
hills, that which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length
more direct. Accordingly, it was called the "Citadel," by king David; he
was the father of that Solomon who built this temple at the first; but
it is by us called the "Upper Market-place." But the other hill, which
was called "Acra," and sustains the lower city, is of the shape of a
moon when she is horned; over against this there was a third hill, but
naturally lower than Acra, and parted formerly from the other by a broad
valley. However, in those times when the Asamoneans reigned, they
filled up that valley with earth, and had a mind to join the city to the
temple. They then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it
to be of less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be
superior to it. Now the Valley of the Cheesemongers, as it was called,
and was that which we told you before distinguished the hill of the
upper city from that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam; for that
is the name of a fountain which hath sweet water in it, and this in
great plenty also. But on the outsides, these hills are surrounded by
deep valleys, and by reason of the precipices to them belonging on both
sides they are every where unpassable.

2. Now, of these three walls, the old one was hard to be taken, both by
reason of the valleys, and of that hill on which it was built, and which
was above them. But besides that great advantage, as to the place where
they were situated, it was also built very strong; because David and
Solomon, and the following kings, were very zealous about this work.
Now that wall began on the north, at the tower called "Hippicus," and
extended as far as the "Xistus," a place so called, and then, joining to
the council-house, ended at the west cloister of the temple. But if
we go the other way westward, it began at the same place, and extended
through a place called "Bethso," to the gate of the Essens; and after
that it went southward, having its bending above the fountain Siloam,
where it also bends again towards the east at Solomon's pool, and
reaches as far as a certain place which they called "Ophlas," where it
was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple. The second wall took
its beginning from that gate which they called "Gennath," which belonged
to the first wall; it only encompassed the northern quarter of the city,
and reached as far as the tower Antonia. The beginning of the third wall
was