The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of an ancient Maccabean-era fortress under a parking lot in Jerusalem on November 3, 2015. Archaeologists believe the site to be the Acra Fortress, which was built and used by the Greek King Antiochus Epiphanes during his seige of Jerusalem in 168 B.C. Professionals in the field speculated for over one hundred years over the location of the supposed fortress, and this discovery laid to rest many theories in the world of biblical archaeology.
The site of the fortress had been the focus of a dig for the previous decade, but in early 2015 the team of archaeologists began uncovering a massive wall 66 feet long and 13 feet thick. In addition to building remnants and wall structures archaeologists also uncovered coins, arrow-heads, sling stones, and a large catapult. The directors of the excavation project stated that, “this sensational discovery allows us for the first time to reconstruct the layout of settlement and the actual look of the city on the eve of the Hasmonean revolt.” The Israel Antiquities Authority intends to have the site ready for tourist visits by Hannukah 2015.