Lecture 1/6/11

Jerusalem's geography protects it from enemy attacks. The valleys and hills to the west, south, and east of the city makes it difficult for enemies to bring battering rams and other weapons of war to the city walls. Most successful attacks on Jerusalem were from the north, so consequently the north wall of the city is the strongest. However, one disadvantage of the city's geography is that trade routes avoided Jerusalem because of the same hills and valleys that protected the city from invaders.

Water was one of the factors that affected the growth of ancient Jerusalem. As a result, tunnels had to be built to bring water from the Gihoh spring and the Siloan pool to the main city. Hezekiah tunnel was one of the main tunnels, and this tunnel pumped water from the Siloan pool to the city. Once the city had an adequate water supply, the population increased.