FAQ

Herod’s Western Palace in Jerusalem: Some New Insights

Publication date: 12.2019

ELECTRUM, 2019, Volume 26, pp. 53 - 72

https://doi.org/10.4467/20800909EL.19.003.11206

Authors

Orit Peleg-Barkat
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
All publications →

Titles

Herod’s Western Palace in Jerusalem: Some New Insights

Abstract

Despite Josephus’ detailed description of Herod’s palace built on the Southwestern Hill of Jerusalem in Bellum Judaicum, book 5, only scant archaeological remains from its substructure were revealed so far, and only few scholars have attempted reconstructing its plan and decoration. A group of monumental Ionic columns, alongside a sculpted head of a lion, found in the Southwestern Hill in the vicinity of the supposed location of the palace, seems to have originated from the palace complex, attesting to its grandeur and unique character. Combining this evidence with Josephus’ description and our vast knowledge of Herod’s palatial architecture, based on excavated palace remains in other sites, such as Jericho, Herodium, Masada, Caesarea Maritima and Machaerus, allows us to present a clearer picture of the main palace of this great builder. 

References

Download references

Amiran, R., Eitan, A. (1973), Excavations in the Citadel, Jerusalem 1968–1969 (Preliminary Report), Eretz Israel 12: 213–218 (Hebrew).

Avigad, N. (1954), Ancient Monuments in the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem (Hebrew). Avigad, N. (1983), Discovering Jerusalem, Nashville.

Avi-Yonah, M. (1989), Pictorial Guide to the Model of Ancient Jerusalem at the Time of the Second Temple, revised by Y. Tsafrir, Jerusalem.

Bahat, D. (1981), David’s Tower and Its Name in Second Temple Times, Eretz-Israel 15: 396−400 (Hebrew).

Bahat, D. (1990), The Illustrated Atlas of Jerusalem, New York.

Bahat, D., Broshi, M. (1976), Excavations in the Armenian Garden, in: Y. Yadin (ed.), Jerusalem Revealed: Archaeology in the Holy City 19681974, Jerusalem: 55−56.

Bar-Nathan, R., Snyder, F. (2019), Is The Opus Reticulatum Building at Banias a Palace of Herod the Great? New Insights after Analyzing Its Opus Sectile Floor, in: O. Peleg-Barkat et al. (eds.), Be- tween Sea and Desert: On Kings, Nomads, Cities and Monks, Essays in Honor of Joseph Patrich, Tzemach: 23−40.

Baruch, Y., Reich, R., Sanhaus, D. (2016), The Temple Mount: Results of the Archaeological Research of the Past Decade, in: G. D. Stiebel et al. (eds.), New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region 10: 33–54 (Hebrew).

Ben-Dov, M. (2002), Historical Atlas of Jerusalem, New York.

Benoit, P. (1975), The Archaeological Reconstruction of the Antonia Fortress, in: Y. Yadin (ed.), Jerusalem Revealed: Archaeology in the Holy City 19681974, Jerusalem: 87−89.

Braund, D. C. (1984), Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of Client Kingship, London.

Broshi, M. (1976), Excavations in the House of Caiaphas, Mount Zion, in: Y. Yadin (ed.), Jerusalem Revealed: Archaeology in the Holy City 19681974, Jerusalem: 57–60.

Broshi, M., Gibson, S. (1994), Excavations along the Western and Southern Walls of Old City of Jerusalem, in: H. Geva (ed.), Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: Reprinted and Expanded Edition, Jerusalem: 147–155.

Crighton, J. (2009), Herod’s Contemporaries in Britain and the West, in: D. M. Jacobson, N. Kokkinos (eds.), Herod and Augustus: Papers Presented at the IJS Conference, 21st–23rd  June 2005, Leiden: 361−381.

Foerster, G. (1995), Masada V: Art and Architecture, The Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963–1965, Final Reports, Jerusalem.

Foerster, G. (1996), Hellenistic and Roman Trends in the Herodian Architecture of Masada, in: K. Fittschen, G. Foerster (eds.), Judaea and the Greco-Roman World in the Time of Herod in the Light of the Archaeological Evidence: Acts of a Symposium (Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen, Philologischhistorische Klasse 215), Götingen: 55–72.

Fuks, G. (2002), Josephus on Herod’s Attitude towards Jewish Religion: The Darker Side, Journal of Jewish Studies 53: 238–245.

Geva, H. (1981), The ‘Tower of David’ – Phasael or Hippicus?, IEJ 31: 57–65.

Geva, H. (1993), Jerusalem: The Second Temple, in: E. Stern (ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, vol. 2, Jerusalem: 717−757.

Geva, H. (2000), Excavations at the Citadel of Jerusalem, 1976–1980, in: H. Geva (ed.), Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: Reprinted and Expanded Edition, Jerusalem: 156–167.

Geva, H. (2010), The “Burnt House” in Light of the Publication of the Final Report, in: D. Amit et al. (eds.), New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region 4: 74−83.

Geva, H. (2015), A Second Temple Period Miqveh with a Surrounding Staircase in the Jewish Quarter, in: E. Baruch, A. Faust (eds.), New Studies on Jerusalem, vol. 21, Ramat Gan: 109−121 (Hebrew).

Gibson, S. (1987), The 1961–67 Excavations in the Armenian Garden, Jerusalem, Palestine Exploration Quarterly 119: 81−96.

Gibson, S. (2007), Suggested Identification for ‘Betso’ and the ‘Gate of the Essens’ in the Light of Magen Broshi’s Excavations on Mount Zion, in: J. Patrich, D. Amit (eds.), New Studies in the Ar- chaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region 1: 29*−33*.

Gleason, K., Bar-Nathan, R. (2013), The Paradaisoi of the Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jeri- cho, in: R. Bar-Nathan, Y. Gärtner (eds.), Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho – Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations, vol. V: The Finds from Jericho and Cypros, Jerusalem: 317−366.

Jacobson, D. M. (2001), Three Roman Client Kings: Herod of Judaea, Archelaus of Cappadocia and Juba of Mauretania, Palestine Exploration Quarterly 133: 22−23.

Japp S. (2000), Die Baupolitik Herodes’ des Grossen: Die Bedeutung der Architektur für die Herrschaftslegitimation eines römischen Klientelkönigs, Rahden/Westf.

Johns, C. N. (1950), The Citadel, Jerusalem: Summary of Work since 1934, Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine 14: 121−190.

Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities (books XVI−XVII), translated by R. Marcus, A. Wikgern (Loeb Classical Library no. 410), Cambridge, MA 1963.

Josephus Flavius, The Jewish War (books I−IV), translated by H. S. J. Thackeray (Loeb Classical Library nos. 203, 487), Cambridge, MA 1927.

Kahanov, Y., Cvikel, D., Rozenberg, S. Kalman, Y., Chachy, R., Porat, R. (2015), The Ships from Hero- dium, The Mariner’s Mirror 101: 262–271.

Kaizer, T., Facella, M. (eds.) (2010), Kingdoms and Principalities in the Roman Near East, Stuttgart.

Kasher, A., Witztum, E. (2007), King Herod: A Persecuted Persecutor: A Case Study in Psychohistory and Psychobiography, (Studia Judaica 36), Berlin–New York.

Kokkinos, N. (1998), The Herodian Dynasty, Sheffield.

Kropp, A. J. M. (2013), Images and Monuments of Near Eastern Dynasts, 100 BC–AD 100, Oxford.

Landau, T. (2006), Out-Heroding Herod: Josephus, Rhetoric, and the Herod Narratives, (Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity 63), Leiden–Boston.

Levine, L. I. (2005), Figural Art in Ancient Judaism, Ars Judaica 5: 9−26.

Levine, L. I., Netzer, E. (1986), Excavations at Caesarea Maritima 1975, 1976, 1979 – Final Report, (Qedem 21), Jerusalem.

Lichtenberger, A. (1999), Die Baupolitik Herodes des Groβen, Wiesbaden.

Lichtenberger, A. (2009), Herod and Rome: Was Romanization a Goal of the Building Policy of Herod?, in: D. M. Jacobson, N. Kokkinos (eds.), Herod and Augustus: Papers Presented at the IJS Confer- ence, 21st–23rd  June 2005, Leiden: 43−62.

Netzer, E. (1981a), Greater Herodium, Final Reports (Qedem 13), Jerusalem.

Netzer, E. (1981b), The Herodian Triclinia – A Prototype for the ‘Galilean-Type’ Synagogue, in: L. I. Levine (ed.), Ancient Synagogue Revealed, Jerusalem: 49−51.

Netzer, E. (1985), The Swimming Pools of the Hasmonaean Period at Jericho, Eretz-Israel 18: 344−352 (Hebrew).

Netzer, E. (1991), Masada III: The Buildings, Stratigraphy and Architecture, The Yigael Yadin Excava- tions 1963–1965, Final Reports, Jerusalem.

Netzer, E. (2001), The Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho: Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations, vol. I: Stratigraphy and Architecture, Jerusalem.

Netzer, E. (2006), The Architecture of Herod, the Great Builder, (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism 117), Tübingen.

Netzer, E. (2018), The Palaces of the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great, Reprinted and Expanded Edition, Jerusalem.

Netzer E., Damati, I. (2004), Cypros, in: E. Netzer, R. Laureys-Chachy (eds.), Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho: Final Report of the 1973–1987 Excavations, vol. II: Stratigraphy and Architecture, Jerusalem: 233–280.

Netzer, E., Kalman, Y., Porath, R., Chachy-Laureys, R. (2010), Preliminary Report on Herod’s Mausoleum and Theatre with a Royal Box at Herodium, Journal of Roman Archaeology 23: 84–108.

Netzer, E., Porat, R., Kalman, Y., Chachy, R. (2013), Herodium, in: S. Rozenberg, D. Mevorah (eds.), Herod the Great, The King’s Final Journey, Jerusalem: 126–161.

Oren, D. E. (1968), The ‘Herodian Doves’ in Light of Recent Archaeological Discoveries, Palestine Exploration Quarterly 100: 56−61.

Ovadiah, A. (2013), A Fragmentary Wall Painting in Herod’s Theatre at Herodion: The Drinking Contest between Dionysus and Herakles, Revue Biblique 63: 351–359.

Ovadiah, A., Turnheim, Y. (2013), A Wall Painting in Herod’s Theatre at Herodion: An Image of Ely- sium?, Revue Biblique 63: 343–349.

Palistrant Shaick, R. (2017), A Lion in Jerusalem: A Roman Sculpture of a Lion Head from the Jewish Quarter, in: H. Geva (ed.), Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, Conducted by Nahman Avigad 19691982, vol. VII: Areas Q and H, Final Report, Jerusalem: 96–107.

Paltiel, E. (1991), Vassals and Rebels in the Roman Empire: Julio-Claudian Policies in Judaea and the Kingdoms of the East, Bruxelles.

Parrot, A. (1957), The Temple of Jerusalem, London.

Patrich, J., Weksler-Bdolah, S. (2016), The “Free Masons Hall”: A Composite Herodian Triclinium and Fountain to the West of the Temple Mount, in: G. D. Stiebel et al. (eds.), New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region 10: 15*–38*.

Peleg, O., Rozenberg, S. (2008), Stuccowork in the Herodian Palaces, in: S. Rozenberg (ed.), Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho − Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations, vol. IV: The Decoration of Herod’s Third Palace at Jericho, Jerusalem: 475–522.

Peleg-Barkat, O. (2007), The Herodian Architectural Decoration, in Light of the Finds from the Temple Mount Excavation, Ph.D. diss., Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Hebrew).

Peleg-Barkat, O. (2014), Fit for a King: Architectural Décor in Judaea and Herod as Trendsetter, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 371: 141−161.

Peleg-Barkat, O. (2015), Tradition vs. Innovation: The Architectural Decoration of the Hasmonaean and Herodian Palaces in the Jericho Valley, Eretz-Israel 31: 325−341 (Hebrew).

Peleg-Barkat, O. (2017), The Temple Mount Excavations in Jerusalem, 1968−1978 Directed by Benjamin Mazar, Final Reports, vol. V: Herodian Architectural Decoration and King Herod’s Royal Portico (Qedem 57), Jerusalem.

Peleg-Barkat, O., Ben Haim, A. (2017), Monumental Ionic Columns from Areas Q and H, in: H. Geva (ed.), Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, Conducted by Nahman Avigad 19691982, vol. VII: Areas Q and H, Final Report, Jerusalem: 68–95.

Peleg-Barkat, O., Geva, H. (2017), Addendum 2: A Monumental Herodian Ionic Capital from the Royal Stoa? – A Reply to Ronny Reich, Israel Museum Studies in Archaeology 8: 91−95.

Peleg-Barkat, O., Geva, H., Reich, R. (2017), A Monumental Herodian Ionic Capital from the Upper City of Jerusalem, Israel Museum Studies in Archaeology 8: 74−88.

Re’em, A. (2018), The Qishle Excavation in the Old City of Jerusalem, Jerusalem.

Re’em, A. (2019), First and Second Temple Period Fortifications and Herod’s Palace in the Jerusalem Kishle Compound, in: H. Geva (ed.), Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: Archaeological Discoveries, 1998–2018, Jerusalem: 136−144.

Richardson, P., Fisher, A. M. (2018), Herod: King of the Jews and Friend of the Romans, 2nd   ed., Abingdon.

Regev, E. (2010), Herod’s Jewish Ideology Facing Romanization: On Intermarriage, Ritual Baths, and Speeches, Jewish Quarterly Review 100/2: 197–222.

Reich, R. (2013), Jewish Ritual Baths in the Second Temple, Mishnaic, and Talmudic Periods, Jerusa- lem (Hebrew).

Reich, R. (2017), Addendum 1: Where Was the Capital Incorporated?, Israel Museum Studies in Ar- chaeology 8: 74−88.

Roller, D. W. (1998), The Building Program of Herod the Great, Berkeley.

Roller, D. W. (2003), The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene: Royal Scholarship on Rome’s African Frontier, New York−London.

Rozenberg, S. (2008), Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho: Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations IV: The Decoration of Herod’s Third Palace at Jericho, Jerusalem.

Rozenberg, S. (2013), Interior Decoration in Herod’s Palaces, in: S. Rozenberg, D. Mevorah (eds.), Herod the Great, The King’s Final Journey, Jerusalem: 166–223.

Rozenberg, S. (2014), Figurative Paintings in Herodium: New Discoveries, in: N. Zimmerman (ed.), Antike Malerei zwischen Lokalstil und Zeitstil, Akten des XI. Internationalen Kolloquiums der AIP- MA, 13.–17. September 2010 in Ephesos, Wien: 371–376.

Rozenberg, S. (2017), Between Alexandria and Rome, in: S. T. A. M. Mols, E. M. Moormann (eds.), Context and Meaning: Proceedings of the Twelfth International Conference of the Association In- ternationale pour la Peinture Murale Antique, Athens, September 16–20, 2013, (Babesch Supple- ment 31), Leuven: 229–235.

Schwartz, D. R. (2013), Herod the Great: A Matter of Perspective, in: S. Rozenberg, D. Mevorah (eds.), Herod the Great: The King’s Final Journey, Jerusalem: 34−43.

Simons, J. (1952), Jerusalem in the Old Testament, Researches and Theories, Leiden.

Sivan, R., Solar, G. (1994), Excavations in the Jerusalem Citadel, 1980–1988, in: H. Geva (ed.), Ancient Jerusalem Revealed, Jerusalem: 168–176.

Snyder, F., Avraham A. (2013), The Opus Sectile Floor in a Caldarium of the Palatial Fortress at Cypros, in: R. Bar-Nathan, Y. Gärtner (eds.), Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho – Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations, vol. V: The Finds from Jericho and Cypros, Jerusalem: 178−202.

Stiebel, G. D. (2015), “Aqua regis” – Fountains of King Herod the Great, Eretz-Israel 31: 426−444.

Sullivan, R. (1990), Near Eastern Royalty and Rome, 100–30 BC, Toronto.

Tsafrir, Y. (2011), The Landscapes Reveals: Designing the Model of Jerusalem at the Holy Land Hotel, Hans Zvi Kroch, Michael Avi-Yonah, and an Unpublished Guidebook, Cathedra 140: 47–86.

Tsafrir, Y. (2015), A Response of a Society under Siege – Further Notes on the Jewish Attitude to Figural Art in the Second Temple Period and Following the Temple’s Destruction, Eretz-Israel 31: 352−358 (Hebrew).

Tushingham, A. D. (1985), Excavations in Jerusalem 1961–1967, vol. I, Toronto. Vermes, G. (2014), The True Herod, London.

Vörös, G. (2013), Machaerus I: History, Archeology and Architecture of the Fortified Herodian Royal Palace and n City Overlooking the Dead Sea in Transjordan: Final Report of the Excavations and Surveys 18072012, Milan.

Vörös, G. (2015), Machaerus II: The Hungarian Archaeological Mission in the Light of the AmericanBaptist and Italian-Franciscan Excavations and Surveys: Final Report 19682015, Milan.

Vörös, G. (2019), Machaerus III: Final Report on the Herodian Citadel 19682018, Milan.

Wightman, G. J. (1990−1991), Temple Fortresses in Jerusalem, part II: The Hasmonean Baris and Herodian Antonia, Bulletin of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society 10: 7−35.

Information

Information: ELECTRUM, 2019, Volume 26, pp. 53 - 72

Article type: Original article

Authors

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Published at: 12.2019

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Orit Peleg-Barkat (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

English

View count: 2155

Number of downloads: 4669

<p>Herod’s Western Palace in Jerusalem: Some New Insights</p>