A few kilometers south of Jerusalem one can find an impressive cone shaped hill called “Herodium” or “Herodion” (in Hebrew), built by Herod the Great around 20 BCE.
On top, Herod placed a palace fortress which used to protect “costly royal apartments made for security and for ornament” (Josephus), decorated with mosaic floors and elaborate frescoes. The remains of the protective round towers and of the walls of the premises – which contained the royal bathroom – can still be visited today. Water was brought “from a distance and at great expense” (Josephus).
It is believed that Herod himself has been buried there.
