Following his arrest at the Garden of Gethsemane, the Gospels describe Jesus being interrogated by two high priests. The Gospel of John notes that Jesus was first brought to Annas (John 18:13) while the Synoptic Gospels focus on his appearance before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. During the questioning, Jesus was asked about his teachings and claims. When he responded to the high priest, a guard struck him for perceived disrespect (Matthew 26:67; Mark 14:65; John 18:22). The high priests sought testimony against Jesus but struggled to find consistent witnesses (Matthew 26:60; Mark 14:56). Ultimately, Caiaphas charged Jesus with blasphemy when he affirmed his self-identity as the Messiah and Son of God. This led to his transfer to Roman authority for final judgment on the following day (Matthew 27:1; Mark 16:1; John 18:28; cf. Luke 22:66).

Where Did Caiaphas Interrogate Jesus?

Some of the Gospels indicate Caiaphas interrogated Jesus in his “house” (Luke 22:54). However, its location is not mentioned and is not known from any other contemporaneous source. But the Gospels seem to indicate Caiaphas’ property had to have a big hall to accommodate all the people who attended the interrogation. The number of participants is not given, but some Gospels indicate the whole Sanhedrin attended (Matthew 26:59; Mark 14:55). Some mention scribes and elders as well. The Sanhedrin alone had 71 members. Furthermore, if Caiaphas handed Jesus to the Romans on the next day, he probably had a prison or dungeon to lock Jesus during the night.

In summary, Caiaphas’ house was probably a well-built mansion that contained also a big hall and a dungeon.

The Catholic Tradition: Petrus in Gallicantu Church

The interior of Petrus in Gallicantu Church.

The Catholic traditional site of Jesus’ interrogation by the High Priest Caiaphas is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Zion. It is marked today by the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (“at the cock’s crow”).

Archaeological excavations at the site revealed remains of a grand first-century mansion, complete with Jewish ritual baths (mikvaot). The archaeologists also uncovered stables, sets of rooms, and a cistern that may have served as a holding cell.

Although this was the property of an affluent person in the first century, there is no proof that this was indeed the mansion of Caiaphas. Moreover, the archaeologists did find a hall to accommodate a gathering of 72 people or more.

The Armenian Tradition: On Mount Zion

The unfinished Armenian Church on Mount Zion.

The Armenian Orthodox Church maintains a tradition identifying the house of Caiaphas at the summit of Mount Zion, distinct from the Catholic site at St. Peter in Gallicantu. Archaeological excavations in the 1970s at the Armenian site uncovered remains of a significant first-century mansion, lending support to their traditional location.

The Armenians began constructing a large church at this site, though work remains incomplete. Near the unfinished church stands a medieval chapel containing what Armenian tradition identifies as Jesus’ prison cell. While this tradition is intriguing, the site doesn’t bear a clear connection to Caiaphas, does not have a gathering hall, nor a prison.

A New Proposal: The “Herodian Quarter”

The proposal identifying the interrogation of Jesus by Caiaphas in Jerusalem’s Herodian Quarter (today’s Jewish Quarter) suggests an alternative to the traditional Mount Zion locations. The archaeological excavations in the Herodian Quarter were carried out by an expedition of the Hebrew University, led by Prof. Nachman Avigad. These excavations revealed several luxurious mansions from the late Second Temple period, including a particularly grand complex suitable for a high priest’s residence. This theory aligns with historical evidence suggesting Jerusalem’s elite, including priests, lived in the Upper City during the late Second Temple period. The location’s proximity to the Temple Mount would have been convenient for the high priest’s daily duties, compared to the more distant Mount Zion sites.

Moreover, in the adjacent Burnt House excavation, archaeologists discovered a weight stone bearing the inscription “of the Son of Katros.”  Some scholars suggest the Katros and Caiaphas families were related, making it plausible they lived as neighbors in this wealthy district.

A particularly significant discovery was a large decorated hall measuring 12 x 7 meters. Its walls and ceiling adorned with stucco point to an elite gathering space, possibly where a High Priest and the Sanhedrin could convene.

The grand hall in the Herodian Quarter after a recent restoration project. Did Caiaphas convene the Sanhedrin and interrogate Jesus here? (c) Danny Herman.

The top of one of the cisterns in the mansion uncovered in the Herodian Quarter. (c) Danny Herman.

Several cisterns found in adjacent rooms could have doubled as detention cells, matching the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ imprisonment during his interrogation.

Final Thoughts

This proposal identifying Caiaphas’ house in the Herodian Quarter had never been formally presented in academic research. During my research, I consulted Dr. Hillel Geva, who worked as Prof. Avigad’s research assistant and participated in the 1970s Herodian Quarter excavations. Geva revealed that the excavation team had reached a similar conclusion, but Prof. Avigad chose not to publish the theory, though he didn’t reject it.

I have now presented this unpublished interpretation for wider consideration.