Roman changes to the hill of Gareb in ‘Aelia Capitolina’ through a review of the archaeological data

Following Jewish revolts, in 114-117 and 132-136 AD, the colony of Iulia Aelia Cap- itolina was founded by Publio Elio Traiano Adriano on the site of Jerusalem – Aelia in his honour and Capitolina because it was intended to contain a Capi- tol for the Romans – so as to erase Jewish and Christian memories. On the ba- sis of the most recent research it is possible to reconstruct the main phases of transformation by the Romans of a part of the hill of Gareb: from a stone quar- ry (tenth century BC - first century AD) into a place of worship, first pagan with the Hadrianian Temple (second century AD) then Christian with the Costantin- ian Basilica (fourth century AD). Thanks to the material evidence, historical tes- timonies, and information on the architecture of temples in the Hadrianic pe- riod, we attempt to provide a reconstruction of the area where the pagan tem- ple was built, inside the expansion of the Roman town in the second century AD, aimed at the conservation and enhancement of these important traces of the history of Jerusalem.