Herodium

It is a famous fortress King Herod built for himself around the year 20 B.C. Herod chose the site after an important military victory against the Hasmoneans of Jerusalem, which helped to launch his career in 40 B.C. As an Idumean, Herod was a descendant of Arab tribesmen, who originally lived both east of the Jordan River and in the southern part of Palestine, and thus was despised by the elite of Jerusalem. Because Herod liked this area very much, the palace was used for leisure during his lifetime; it also served as the family burial place and later, as his memorial.

Herod invested a great deal of labor and resources in various building projects, including the seaport of Caesarea, the city of Sebaste (Samaria) near Nablus, and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Yet the Herodiurn is the enterprise he wished to be remembered for. He chose a natural hill of which he raised the level by vaults and then surrounded the structures on top with fill, so that the hill - rising 100 meters above its surroundings - is an imposing sight from Bethlehem five kilometers to the northwest.

The main structure consists of two parallel circular walls with a diameter of nearly 50 meters. Within this structure the eastern half was made up of a garden surrounded by columns. The western half included a triclinium dining room, a bathhouse, and dwelling quarters. 15 meters below floor level was a network of four plastered cisterns.

The remains at the bottom of the hill cover an expanse of 38 acres. Lower Herodium included a magnificent pool complex, a bathhouse, and other dwellings. The character of this place has been preserved in the Arabic name Jebel Fureidis or Paradise Mountain.

Just as Herod had designed this palace and burial place as a fortress, it was used in a military function by Jewish rebels in both the first (66-73) and second (132-135) revolts against Rome. These Zealots dug a network of security tunnels beneath the fortress, 300 meters of which have been explored.

After four centuries in which the Herodium appears to have been abandoned, the site began to be used as a religious center in the fifth century. On the top of the Herodium, one chapel appears to have been occupied by a monastic community.

In the lower part of the Herodium, three different contemporary churches have been excavated all having beautiful mosaic floors.

Herodium - Jebel Fureidis

Herodium - the Remains of the fortress