Destroyed by Emperor Titus of Rome, Jerusalem had become a wasteland, the Second Temple no more than a heap of stones. Out of this post-apocalyptic landscape rose the charismatic war leader Bar Kokhva, a towering figure that many regarded as the messiah. Enraged by the destruction of the Second Temple and the religious oppression of Emperor Hadrian, Bar Kokhva pitted his guerilla armies against the might of Rome—with disastrous results. But before he fell, Bar Kokhva was to stage a final stand in Jerusalem, a city that had been shorn of its defensive walls. And by the end, he had forced grudging respect from the battle-hardened legions of Rome.

The amply fortified city of Jerusalem would not have fallen to any man, but only to a war leader of exceptional skill. And such was David, but he was also much more: poet, musician, shepherd, and a lover of many women. A man of contradictions, David was a terror to the Philistines in battle, yet in his Psalms he yearns for peace. He built a magnificent palace for future kings, but not the Holy Temple of his dreams. David’s notorious adultery with Bathsheba tainted his name, yet he is still regarded as Israel’s ideal king. His conquest of Jerusalem marked its transformation into the City of David, which would someday become known throughout the world as the Holy City.

Until the martyrdom of Jesus, Judaism was the uncontested religion of Jerusalem. But what began as a Jewish sect quickly spiraled into a worldwide phenomenon, with repercussions that have resounded from thousands of years ago to this day. The rise of Christianity marks an event in history that would forever change the face of religion in the Holy City and the world.

Not all Christians believe that Jesus was crucified and buried on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Some believe instead that the Garden Tomb, a peaceful site outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, once set the scene for one of the most pivotal moments in history.

Shrouded as it is in antiquity, little would be known about the war of the Jews against Rome if not for the historian Josephus. His text “The Jewish War” is used by scholars to this day, and even provides aid to archaeologists. Yet while the scholarship of Josephus is respected by many, he is far from being a neutral figure. An apologist for the Jews and Judaism, Josephus was nonetheless regarded by many of his compatriots as a traitor. He willingly took refuge in Rome even after his wife and parents perished in the Roman siege of Jerusalem.

The Shavuot holiday is virtually unknown outside of Judaism, yet it is among the most important of Jewish holidays. Shavuot commemorates the day that God bestowed the holy Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Today, Jews across the world celebrate this holiday every spring with feasting and Torah study—with the latter lasting all night long. In Jerusalem, crowds of Orthodox Jews flood the Western Wall, in memory of the Holy Temple.