Historians estimate that well over 110 distinct conflicts, ranging from regional sieges to massive geopolitical wars, have been fought in and around Jerusalem over the last 4,000 years. Because of its immense religious and strategic value, the city has been besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and changed hands 44 times. [1, 2]

The most notable eras of conflict over the city include:

• Ancient Sieges and Revolts (c. 1000 BCE – 70 CE): Jerusalem was besieged by ancient empires—including the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Romans in 70 CE—resulting in the destruction of the city and its Jewish temples. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• The Crusades (1099–1244): The city saw brutal warfare and changed hands repeatedly as European Crusaders, Muslim Ayyubids, and other factions fought to control the Holy Land. [1, 2]
• The Arab-Israeli Wars (1948–Present): In the modern era, the Battle for Jerusalem during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War divided the city. Subsequently, the 1967 Six-Day War resulted in Israel capturing East Jerusalem, a status that remains highly contested in ongoing regional conflicts. [1, 2]