‘But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; someone on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything. (Mark 13: 14-23)

Matthew identifies the abomination as that referenced in the ninth chapter of Daniel. The character of this abomination is not clear to me.

A century after the crucifixion, sixty-plus years after the destruction of the Second Temple, and sixty to seventy years after the origin of Mark's gospel the Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

The Emperor's plans included the construction of a Hellenistic acropolis where the Temple had stood. In the year 131 a ground-breaking ceremony was held.

These plans, abusive taxation, and a decree abolishing circumcision led to another - final - Jewish revolt in Palestine in the year 132.

The supreme religious council proclaimed Simon Bar Kokhba as Messiah. The revolt was initially successful and self-rule was reestablished for about 30 months.

According to the Third Century historian Cassius Dio the Roman legions killed 580,000 Jews in the process of reestablishing authority. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a Graeco-Roman city which Jews were forbidden to enter.

To the inhabitants of Jerusalem and anyone who cared about them, the abomination of Daniel must have seemed entirely fulfilled.

Above is a coin celebrating Hadrian as the founder of the new city of Aelia Capitolina, replacing Jerusalem.