Antonia

Antonia was a massive fortress-palace situated at the northwest corner of the temple mount in Jerusalem, rebuilt and enlarged by Herod the Great and named in honor of his patron Mark Antony. It dominated the northern approaches to the temple complex, serving as both a military garrison and a symbol of Roman authority over the religious heart of the city. The fortress was connected to the temple courts by staircases and passages, allowing Roman troops rapid access in the event of disturbance during the great festivals when Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims.

The Antonia features in the New Testament as “the barracks” or “the castle” where Paul was taken after being seized by a mob in the temple courts (Acts 21:34, 37). It was from the steps of the Antonia that Paul addressed the crowd in Hebrew (Acts 22:1–21). The fortress was destroyed by Titus during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, along with the temple itself, leaving no physical trace above ground today.