The old city of Jerusalem is a 0.9 square km walled area in east Jerusalem. The temple mount is a hill in the old city and the old site of the temple of Jerusalem. The retaining walls include the western wall, built by king Herod to renovate the second temple. It replaced Solomon’s temple which was destroyed by Assyrians during the Babylonian empire. The second temple was rebuilt by jewish men after returning from Babylon in 538 bc. It was destroyed by roman soldiers around 70 ordinary time.
Judea was a client kingdom of Rome. Herod I, called Herod the great was appointed king of the jews around 40 bc, largely because of his father who had been a client to the greek empire state and had good relations with Julius Caesar. He was probably palestinian. His mother converted to judaism. He is believed to have been born in Judea or his father’s birth place of Edom (southern Israel). His parents and Edomites are identified by a contemporary as being Idumaean (Arabian), possibly a political persuasion, also the majority of the population of western Judea. Probably from Iraq or Jordan.
Herod’s elder brother served as governor of Jerusalem, and Herod who was appointed a client general of Syria ruled Judea semi autonomously. He was known for his building works. The enclosure around the cave of the patriarchs, the port at Caesarea, the fort at Masada and the Herodium.
Jesus of Nazareth was born into the Herodian kingdom of Judah. Herod is attributed to an order to murder every male child two years and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Jesus. A majority of Herodian biographers discount this. He died of a painful disease of unknown cause around 4 bc in Jericho.