City history
From its Canaanite origins to its role as a global religious center, Jerusalem's history is a tapestry of shifting names and sacred timekeeping.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"The exact etymology is disputed among scholars."
The earliest documented name for the settlement, functioning as a Canaanite stronghold before the Israelite period.
Disputed
The earliest recorded name for the fortified settlement.
Foundation of Shalem
An early Semitic name used in ancient Hebrew contexts.
City of Aelius
The name imposed by Emperor Hadrian following the Bar Kokhba revolt.
The Holy
The Arabic designation used throughout the medieval and modern eras.
Chapter two
The establishment of the state led to the formal adoption of UTC+2 as the standard time for Jerusalem.
Israel reintroduced daylight saving time to better align with seasonal solar patterns.
Chapter three
The completion of the Second Temple established the city as a central temporal and religious hub.
The transformation into Aelia Capitolina brought Roman administrative and calendar influences.
The expansion beyond the Old City walls facilitated modern municipal infrastructure and timekeeping.
The founding of the State of Israel unified the city's timekeeping under modern administrative standards.