In these three chapters, Armstrong introduces the history of Jerusalem prior and during the appearance of Jesus and the new religion. This period of history, reflects the end of an era and the beginning of a new one with adding many new factors to the city and changing the cities role and theme. The beginning goes into depth in describing the Temple and the destruction and rebuilding that occurred to it.
Then Jerusalem enters a new stage with the appearance of Jesus and the beginning of a new religion. Armstrong did not describe this period in details and passed by very quickly. She then moves to the rise of Christianity with Constantine declaring it as his empires official religion.
During this period, the Jews were sent to Babylon and marked a turning point in the Jewish history and religion. The Jewish religion was reformed in Babel where the religion became no longer connected to one sacred place (The Temple) and synagogues were built to worship God.
I felt that Armstrong did not give much attention to Christianity or Jesus’ appearance in Jerusalem as I expected. Maybe she kept it for the following chapters when we start discussing the Crusade campaigns and control of Jerusalem and Palestine.
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