3500 BCE
The first settlement of Jerusalem took place on the Ophel above the Gihon Spring
19th Century BCE
The first recorded mention of Jerusalem as Rusalimum was in the Egyptian Execration Texts
The Persian Period
1750 BCE — 1500 BCE
The Hyksos Period
14th Century BCE
Diplomatic correspondence refers to Jerusalem as Urusalim in the Amarna Letters
1010-970
King David’s reign
1003
Jerusalem is established by King David as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel
970-931
King Solomon’s reign
950
King Solomon begins construction of the First Temple
931
The Land of Israel is divided into the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
837-800
Tunnels conduit from water from the Gihon Spring to the Siloam pool during the reign of Hezekiah, the King of Judah
721
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrians and 10 of the 12 tribes are carried into captivity and eventually dispersal.
701
Sennacherib’s assault on Jerusalem is successfully withstood by Hezekiah
598-587
The second invasion by Nebuchadnezzar
597
Jerusalem is captured by the Babylonians
588-586
The third invasion by Nebuchadnezzar
586
Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple and the exile of its people to Babylon (Lam 1.4 / 2.2)
539
Babylon’s fall
537 BCE — 332 BCE
538
Cyrus’s edict
537
As a result of King Cyrus’s edict, the remnant of the 50,000 Jews who were exiled to Babylon are returned to Israel
520
Work begins on rebuilding the Temple
515
Completion and rededication of the Second Temple under Zerubbabel (Ezra 6.15-18)
458
Ezra the Scribe returns from Babylon and the Law is revived
445
Upon Nehemiah’s return from Babylon, Artaxerxes, appoints him governor of Judea and city walls are rebuilt
397
Religious reforms are initiated by Ezra, the Scribe
332 BCE-63 BCE: The Hellenistic Period
332
Darius is defeated at Gaugamela by Alexander the Great and Palestine is conquered from the Persians (Daniel 11.3); Jerusalem is captured and the Hellenization of the Holy City commences
323
Alexander dies in Babylon and the Wars of Succession start
320
Jerusalem is captured by Ptolemy I
320-198
The reign of Egyptian Ptolemies
198-167
The Syrian Seleucids rule
169
Judaism is outlawed by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163) and on December 25th, the Temple is profaned
167 BCE-63 BCE: The Hasmonean Period
166
The Maccabean revolt is begun by the priest Mattathias
167-141
The Maccabean War of Liberation
164
Jerusalem is recaptured by Judah the Maccabee; the Temple is restored
166-160
The reign of Judah the Maccabee
160-143
Jonathan’s reign
150
the Essene community is established
143-135
Simon Maccabeus’ reign
63 BCE-324 CE/AD: The Roman Period
63
Jerusalem is captured for Rome by General Pompey
63-37
Continuation of Hasmonean rule but under the protection of Rome
40
Herod King of Judea is Rome appointed by Rome
40-AD 4
Herod the Great rules
37
Jerusalem is captured by King Herod the Great
19
Stones for the rebuilding of the Temple are prepared
18
The actual rebuilding of the Temple is begun by Herod
10
The Temple is completed in AD 63 but about 5/4 there is a dedication ceremony; this also marks the approximate year of the births of John the Baptist, and Jesus of Nazareth
04
The death of Herod the Great
BCE to CE/AD
26-36
On 31 April 25 / Nisan 14, Pontius Pilate, has been Roman procurator of Judea; the Crucifixion of Jesus
41-44
The new city wall (The “Third Wall”) is built by Agrippa, king of Judea,.
44
Herod Agrippa’s death
63
Completion of the Temple
64
66-73
The War of the Jews, the Great Revolt against the Romans
70
Titus destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple
73
Masada falls
132-135
Bar Kochba leads a war for freedom and Jerusalem once again is the Jewish Capital
135
Emperor Hadrian’s total destruction of Jerusalem is totally destroyed by Emperor Hadrian; new walls are built, Aelia Capitolina is the name of the new city, Jews are not allowed to enter the former Jerusalem
324-638: The Byzantine Period
326
Jerusalem is visited by Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, and selects the sites where the events associated with the last days of Jesus took place; to commemorate these events churches were built, Queen Helena is especially responsible for the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in AD 335.
438
Jews are permitted by Empress Eudocia to live in Jerusalem
614
Jerusalem is conquered by Persians who destroy most churches and force Jerusalem’s Jews into exile
629
Jerusalem is recaptured by Byzantines
638-1099: The Early Muslim Period
638
After Mohammed’s death six years earlier, the Caliph Omar enters Jerusalem and Jews are readmitted to the Holy City
691
Caliph Abd al-Malik completes the Dome of the Rock
701
Caliph al-Walid completes the construction of the al-Aqsa mosque; the destruction of synagogues and churches is ordered by Caliph al-Hakim by
1010
1099-1244: The Crusader Kingdom
1099
Jerusalem is captured by the Crusaders, led by Godfrey de Bouillon, following the call by Pope Urban in 1096; Baldwin I is d King of Jerusalem
1187
Jerusalem from Crusaders by Kurdish general Saladin who then allows Jews and Muslims to return and settle in the city.
1192
Although Richard the Lion-Hearted tries to re-capture Jerusalem, he does not succeed; A treaty with Saladin allows Christians to worship at their holy sites.
1219
Sultan Malik-al-Muattam tears down city walls
1244
Crusader rule ended with the capture of Jerusalem by Khawarizmian Turks
1260-1517: The Mameluk Period
1244
Ayyubids are defeated by Mameluk Sultans and reign over Jerusalem
1260
Jerusalem is captured by Egyptian Mameluks
1267
The arrival of Rabbi Moshe Ben Nahman (Nahmanides) from Spain whose Jewish congregation is revived and a synagogue and center of learning with his name are established
1275
On his way to China Marco Polo visits Jerusalem
1348
Jerusalem is hit by the Black Death Plague
1488
The Jerusalem community is led by Rabbi Obadiah of Bertinoro who settles in Jerusalem
1517-1917: The Ottoman Turkish Period
1517
A peaceful takeover of Jerusalem is accomplished by Ottomans
1537-1541
The city walls including today’s 7 gates and the “Tower of David have been open to attack since 1219; the Damascus gate was built in 1542 by Sultan Suleiman (“The Magnificent”)
1700
The arrival of Rabbi Yehuda He’Hassid and the “Hurva” Synagogue is built
1836
Sir Moses Montefiore makes his first visit to Jerusalem
1838
Jerusalem experiences the opening of its first consulate (British)
1860
The first Jewish settlement outside walls of the city is established
1898
Dr. Theodor Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization visits Jerusalem
1917-1948: The British Mandate Period
1917
British General Allenby enters Jerusalem after its conquest by his forces
1918
The foundation stone of Hebrew University on Mount Scopus is laid by Dr. Chaim Weizmann
1920
The appointment of Sir Herbert Samuel as the first British High Commissioner; the establishment of the “Government House” in Jerusalem.
1925
The inauguration of the Hebrew University buildings
1947
A United Nations Resolution recommends the partition of Israel.
1948: The Israeli Period
14 May 1948
The proclamation of the State of Israel follows the termination of the British Mandate
14 May 1948-Jan 1949
The Israel War of Liberation takes place
28 May 1948
The New City of Jerusalem survives but the Jewish Quarter in Old City is captured by Jordanian forces
April 1949
The signing of the Israel-Trans-Jordan Armistice Agreement divides Jerusalem between the two countries.
13 Dec. 1949
The declaration of Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel
1965
The election of Teddy Kollek as Mayor of Jerusalem
5 June 1967
The shelling of the New City of Jerusalem by the Jordanian Army marks the opening of the Six-Day War
7 June 1967
The Old City is captured by Israeli troops and after 2000 years, Jerusalem is reunited