Jerusalem's Ancient Water Wars: Silwan and the Gihon Spring

We often think of Jerusalem’s conflicts in terms of walls, prayers, or empires, but for millennia, the true prize was water. This episode explores the strategic genius behind the Gihon Spring and the engineering marvels built to protect it, from the Jebusite fortifications to Hezekiah’s Tunnel. We examine how access to this single source dictated who ruled the city, from King David’s capture of Zion to the complex waqf systems that manage the springs today. Through the lens of archaeology and ancient texts, we uncover how the struggle for control over Silwan’s waters shaped the political and religious identity of Jerusalem, revealing a history written not just in blood, but in stone and aqueducts.

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