The correct answer is: "Hadrian’s plan filled the Jewish people with horror. There was actually going to be a temple to Jupiter on Mount Zion, the site of the Lord’s holy Temple. Shrines to other deities would also appear all over the city. Over the centuries, the names “Jerusalem” and “Zion” had become central to the identity of Jews. Now these names were to be replaced with the names of a pagan emperor and his idols."

Politically, Hadrian's "gift" was a poisonous one. It not only erased centuries of Jewish culture and history at the Jewish capital, it also reminded all Jews that this was no longer their land but a simple province of the Roman Empire. The City would thus be completely Romanized and deprived of its indigenous past.

Religiously it was even worse for the Jews and zealots of all persuasions as it built a pagan temple on top of their most sacred holy site, replacing their monotheistic Deity with the Pagan leading god of the Roman polytheistic pantheon. Furthermore, not only was the sacred Temple Mound desecrated but the rest of the city would be as well since it would be filled with new shrines for many other pagan gods.

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3 years ago