The Italian Jewish pilgrim, Meshullam ben Menahem, relates: “Jerusalem which ‘has no walls’ and was very much ‘in ruins.’  With about two hundred and fifty Jewish households (e.g. 500 Jews).” Source: Kollek, Teddy; Pearlman, Moshe. Pilgrims to the Holy Land: The story of Pilgrimage Through the Ages. p135 and p136.