The Night Jerusalem's Water Came From Pools and Aqueducts

In Episode 26 of The History of Jerusalem, hosts Lucas and Luna explore the city's ancient water systems—a topic often overshadowed by its religious and political drama. They dive into the construction of Solomon's Pools, the three massive reservoirs near Bethlehem that supplied Jerusalem for centuries, and the intricate network of aqueducts, including the low-level and high-level systems built by Herod the Great and the Roman Tenth Legion. The conversation covers the mysterious Siloam Tunnel (Hezekiah's Tunnel), which channeled water from the Gihon Spring inside the city walls, and the later additions by Pontius Pilate and Suleiman the Magnificent. They discuss how these engineering feats allowed Jerusalem to survive sieges and thrive as a pilgrimage center, and how the public fountains (sabils) became social hubs. The episode also touches on the modern discovery of a Crusader-era aqueduct and the ongoing debates about water rights in the region. Listeners will come away with a concrete understanding of how the city's water infrastructure shaped its history, from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman Empire.

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