Jerusalem, the holy city of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. In those early days of Christianity, Jerusalem was not a very large city compared to other cities in Israel at the time such as Caesarea Maritima and Sepphoris. The Old City of Jerusalem, which contains many important religious sites for Christians like the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall for Jews covers an area of just 0.9 square kilometers or 0.35 square miles.
The climate in Jerusalem is Mediterranean with hot summers and cool winters with some rainfall between November to March. Despite being located on hilly terrain where forests are not as common due to deforestation caused by human activities like agriculture over centuries, there are still natural parks on the outskirts like Jerusalem Forest, planted with trees over recent decades to reduce erosion and create recreational areas.
Water sources have been discovered under ancient ruins within the city walls but water scarcity has always been a challenge especially during droughts.
One notable garden cultivated within the city walls is The Garden of Gethsemane near Mount Olives where Jesus spent time praying before his arrest (Matthew 26:36-56). It’s believed olive trees found here date back more than two thousand years, making it one of the most sacred places in Christendom today.
During peak festival times like Passover when pilgrims from all over Israel came to celebrate at Temple Mount, which was considered the holiest site in Judaism then; population could swell up to over 100,000 people while permanent residents numbered around 20,000 – 50,000 according to historians’ estimates.
Bethsaida lies about 120km (75 miles) north east from Jerusalem near Sea Of Galilee where Simon Peter met Jesus (John1:44). Walking would take several days on rugged paths depending fitness level (3-4 days).
Exploring how various factors affected life during early Christian period provides insights into how they lived their daily lives. Despite challenges of water scarcity and deforestation, the people found ways to thrive in a city that was rich in history, culture and religion.