sentences:  A hall directly in front of the synagogue entrance was aligned with two rows of columns, each row containing eight pillars.One large structure (40 × 15 m) on the southwestern part of the hill is thought to have been a basilica which, under the Jewish custom of the time, buildings of such size were used primarily for kings holding court, or for baths, or for royal treasuries.It was constructed of large, smooth-bossed ashlars that were coated with thick plaster.