Betar (ancient village)

This article is about the ancient Jewish town destroyed during the Bar Kokhba Revolt. For other uses, see Betar (disambiguation).
Betar
בֵּיתַּר
Walls of the Betar fortress.
Betar (ancient village) is located in the West Bank
Betar (ancient village)
Shown within the West Bank
LocationBattir, West Bank
RegionJudean Mountains
Coordinates31°43′48″N 35°08′08″E / 31.73°N 35.135556°E / 31.73; 35.135556
Grid position163/126 PAL
Typesettlement
Part ofRoman Judea

Betar (Biblical Hebrew: בֵּיתַּר, romanized: Bēttar), also spelled Beitar, Bethar or Bether, was an ancient Jewish town in the Judaean Mountains. Continuously inhabited since the Iron Age,[1] it was the last standing stronghold of the Bar Kokhba revolt, and was destroyed by the Imperial Roman Army under Hadrian in 135 CE.[2][3][4]

Ancient Betar's ruins can be found at the archeological site of Khirbet al-Yahud (Arabic: خربة اليهود, lit. 'Ruin of the Jews'[5]), located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest of Jerusalem. It is located in the Palestinian village of Battir, which preserves Betar's ancient name.[6] Excavations at the site have uncovered evidence of the Roman siege and destruction, such as defensive walls and arrowheads.

The Israeli settlement and city Beitar Illit, named after the ancient city, is also located nearby.

  1. ^ A. Oppenheimer, Between Rome and Babylon, 2005, 313-9
  2. ^ David Ussishkin, "Soundings in Betar, Bar-Kochba's Last Stronghold"
  3. ^ D. Ussishkin, Archaeological Soundings at Betar, Bar-Kochba's Last Stronghold, Tel Aviv 20, 1993, pp. 66-97.
  4. ^ K. Singer, Pottery of the Early Roman Period from Betar, Tel Aviv 20, 1993, pp. 98-103.
  5. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 312
  6. ^ Tamén, Conder, Claude R. (1887). Tent Work in Palestine: A Record of Discovery and Adventure (1887 ed.). R. Bentley & Son. p. 143.