In 2008, archaeologist discovered what they believed to be the tomb of Herod the Great at the Herodion. To the disappointment of many, the tomb and an ornate sar-cophagus were found empty, most likely looted by grave robbers centuries before.
It is located about two miles from Bethlehem and about eight miles southwest of Jerusalem. Without question, it is one of the most fascinating places of the ancient world. Herod built the grand structure between 22-15 B.C. A double wall surrounding the Herodion was 63 meters (almost 207 feet) in diameter and the equivalent of a seven-story tall building. Within the wall were his private palace with open rooms, courtyards, and luxurious bathhouses.
At the foot of the hill, lush gardens encircled a large swimming pool, fed by an aqueduct from Bethlehem and a channel from Solomon’s Porch in Jerusalem. The artificial island in the pool’s center is said to have supported a three-story structure and offered the guests a place to relax, to eat, and to enjoy a boat ride in the huge pool.
According to the historian, Flavius Josephus, Herod in 40 B.C. fled the attacking Parthians who had just conquered Syria, and were on their way to Jerusalem. Rather than committing suicide in captivity, like his brother had done, Herod and his family fled south to Masada, with the Parthians on their heels. On their way, at the location of the later Herodion, they had a clash, and Herod came out as the winner. "And after a long time he built a town on that spot in commemoration of his victory, and enhanced it with wonderful palaces...and he called it Herodion after him-self" (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews I, Chapter 13).
The Herodion is an artificial mountain. The resources needed to build it were taken from a natural mountain near its site. Herod’s engineers had the mountain nearly leveled to provide the materials for the project.
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