The woman riding the beast is clearly 1st century Jerusalem which was guilty of killing the prophets.
(Rev 17:7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. )
(Rev 18:20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!” )
Ask yourselves this, why would the apostles and prophets rejoice over any other city that was not guilty of killing them?
(Mat 23:35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. )
(Mat 23:36 “Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.)
And then after the above declaration:
(Mat 23:37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling )
(Mat 23:38 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! )