The Sculpture in front of the Lateran as described by Benjamin of Tudela and Magister Gregorius

Abstract

The English Magister Gregorius, and the Spanish Jew, Benjamin ben Jonah of Tudela, lived towards the end of the twelfth century Our knowledge of the former's description of Rome is due to G. McN. Rushforth, who attempts to date his visit to Rome more precisely but has to admit that this is not possible. He can only say that it took place in the latter part of the twelfth or the earlier part of the thirteenth century. The visit of Rabbi Benjamin can be fixed more exactly. He mentions Alexander III as Pope : he made his entry into Rome on the 23rd of November, 1165, and was driven out again in 1167 but returned in 1177. On passing through Bari he mentions that the city had been destroyed by King William of Sicily (1156) It was rebuilt by William the Good in 1169, so that his visit to Rome must have been before this. When he travels to Lesser Armenia, he names as its ruler Thoros, who died in December 1167 or February 1168. As by this time he had travelled through Greece and Constantinople, and along the coast of Asia Minor to Lesser Armenia we may reasonably date his visit to Rome in the year 1166.