Herod’s largest and most beautiful project was the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. He began in 20/19 B.C.E., yet work on the details was still proceeding long after his death when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E.
Only a small part of the account of Herod’s long and complex reign by Josephus can be presented here. Like the previous excerpt, it was authored by the statesman and historian Nicolaus of Damascus and taken over virtually verbatim by Josephus. For this reason, it tends to be very favorable to Herod, even excusing some […]
The Remains of a Temple Workman “Simon, the builder of the Temple” Date- 1st c. BCE – 1st c. CE Current Location- Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel Language and Script- Aramaic, alphabetic General Information- • The ossuary shown here was found in a tomb in the northwestern part of Giv’at ha-Mivtar, the Jerusalem suburb where numerous […]
On the obverse of this coin is a laureate head of Melqarth (in his Hellenized form as Heracles) to the right. The reverse shows an eagle on a prow, a palm branch at its shoulder; in the left field is a club and the date Qθ (99 of the Tyrian era); in the right field […]
Pottery with fiber wick First century BCE – first century CE The earliest occurrences of this type of lamp were in strata associated with Herod’s reign (37-4 BCE). However, the dating of the lamp has been modified by recent excavations. A similar lamp type was uncovered in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem, in strata relating […]
View of the fortress built by Herod at the site of his victory over his pursuers during his flight from Jerusalem to Masada in 40 BCE. The hill was raised in height by the use of debris. After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Herodium surrendered to the legate Lucilus Bassus. Palace at Herodium. […]
Since it opened last spring at the Israel Museum, the exhibition of finds from the Jewish Quarter excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem has been drawing large and enthusiastic crowds. And well it should. On display are the exciting results of six years of digging in an area only a few hundred yards from […]
Photo by Ardon Bar Hama. The Burnt House, located in today’s Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter, was the residence of a wealthy family, possibly the priestly Kathros family. In the Second Temple period, this area was called the Upper City and housed the wealthy residents of Jerusalem. The house was destroyed during the destruction of Jerusalem by […]
Notice written in Greek forbidding foreigners to enter the Temple Courts on pain of death- “No alien may enter within the balustrade around the sanctuary and the enclosure. Whoever is caught, on himself shall he put blame for the death which will ensue.” Large complete inscription found in 1871, fragment found in 1936. The fragment […]
The scene was set for the rise of Herod by the conquest of Judea by the Romans in 63 B. C.E. Despite the attempts of the Hasmonean prince Aristobulus and his son Antigonus to resist Roman rule, the Romans reorganized Judea under the high priest Hyrcanus who was controlled by Antipater, father of Herod. It […]