Archaeologist Finds Tomb of King Herod

Source: The Guardian

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"An Israeli archaeologist has found the tomb of King Herod, the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Hebrew University said late Monday.

The tomb is at a site called Herodium, a flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert, clearly visible from southern Jerusalem. Herod built a palace on the hill, and researchers discovered his burial site there, the university said.

The university had hoped to keep the find a secret until Tuesday, when it planned a news conference to disclose the find in detail, but the Haaretz newspaper found out about the discovery and published an article on its Web site.

Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans around 74 B.C. The wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem still stands, and he also ordered big construction projects in Caesaria, Jericho, the hilltop fortress of Massada and other sites."





Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6615608,00.html

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Haaretz link:

Hebrew University: Herod's tomb and grave found at Herodium

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/856784.html

Sorry. I couldn't resist. They should have had Geraldo cover the story.

he was ground up and put into mortar and cement.

Actually, it is a cool story and find.

how do they know whose tomb it is? Aside from its location, I mean?

the articles were not very informative

some elaborate declaration of his titles.

The Discovery Channel show about Jesus' tomb, whether it was or not, indicated that tombs are marked at the openings and the vessels containing their remains may have informal markings on them, but that was a family crypt they were investigating.

of markings, etc.

I'd like to know that as well. While Herod was pretty Hellenized (i.e., more Greek in some ways than Jewish), if his tomb keeps close to Jewish tradition, there isn't going to be a lot to identify him. The custom back then was to let the body rot, and then put the bones into to little lunch box like objects. The boxes sometimes have identifying info, but Jewish law frowns upon ostentation of any kind in burial.

Of course, Herod ruled as a Hellenistic prince, so it's possible there's a lot more around to identify him.

fill me in on who King Herod was.
Sorry, you can tell I was asleep during Sunday school.

Wasn't he some kinda bad guy?

He had Michael York's head chopped off, and served the cut off noggin to some chick to pay for a lap dance...Is that bad enough for you?

Herod was her stepfather?

I wouldn't take the New Testament as "gospel" about the guy. But certainly, you can get a lot from Josephus Flavius' accounts, and I suspect there's some additional material in the Talmud as well.

But I think the best testimony to what a nut job the guy was? The stuff he built. Herod had a serious "edifice complex". He rebuilt a good piece of Jerusalem, in particular, the retaining walls to the Temple Mount and a walk way from the Temple Mount to the Acropolis. The stones are huge, which is why a lot of them still exist. Very impressive, very expensive, beautiful, and excessive as hell (as was he). But since he was not a popular guy, he also built a number of palace/fortresses close to Jerusalem, so if things got unpleasant in the capital, he could high-tail it out of town.

I've spent a fair amount of time in two of his fortresses: Masada (best known for the famous last stand/suicide of the Zealots in 70CE), and Herodion, which is a bit south of Beit Lehem IIRC. You can't look at these sites without getting the sense that the guy who commissioned them was a meglomaniac and paranoid as hell. First, the luxury and the massive amounts of water required to run these places show that No Expense Was Spared. And in addition, they are designed to keep the Unfriendlies (for him, his subjects) out for long periods of time. There are incredible bits of iron age engineering to store water and to defend the places.

So based upon these sites alone, you can be pretty sure he was one crazy mofo.

or so it sounds to me, with his "undisclosed" locations fortified to the teeth. I wonder if Herod threw spears into the faces of his friends while jackal hunting? :shrug:

In the New Testament, when the three Magi came through Jerusalem looking for the new born king they naturally stopped by the palace to find out whether the king had any new born sons.

Herod, who of course knew immediately, that this was not one of his kids they were talking about, saw this as a threat to his reign. He sent the Magi on their way asking them only to tell them where the new born king was. The Magi, gave Jesus gold, frankinscence and myrrh, and then skipped town without going back to the king--they weren't called wise men for nothing. Mary & Joseph also skipped town and headed for Egypt. This was a good thing and not a moment too soon because Herod ordered his troops to murder every male child under (I think) one year of age in Bethlehem.

Is this story true? Who knows. We do know that Herod's reputation for paranoia and cruelty was such that it added credibility to the accounts of Jesus' birth about the time the New Testament books were being written down in the second century AD.

In your words, one crazy, paranoid mofo

Herod came and cut a deal with either Mark Antony or Octavian, about becoming King of Judea.

HBO: better than a history book, and entertaining, too :D

Herod was a dynasty, not an individual. The one commonly associated with Jesus was involved with Judean infighting and made some enemies. Of course he was the King Jew and therefore the guy most responsibly for killing Jesus, at least according to the last 2000 years of anti-semitism.

That would cause a whole lotta trouble.

King Herod's Song

Jesus, I am overjoyed to meet you face to face.
You've been getting quite a name all around the place.
Healing cripples, raising from the dead.
And now I understand you're God,
At least, that's what you've said.
So, you are the Christ, you're the great Jesus Christ.
Prove to me that you're divine; change my water into wine.
That's all you need do, then I'll know it's all true.
Come on, King of the Jews.
Jesus, you just won't believe the hit you've made around here.
You are all we talk about, the wonder of the year.
Oh what a pity if it's all a lie.
Still, I'm sure that you can rock the cynics if you tried.
So, you are the Christ, you're the great Jesus Christ.
Prove to me that you're no fool; walk across my swimming pool.
If you do that for me, then I'll let you go free.
Come on, King of the Jews.
I only ask what I'd ask any superstar.
What is it that you have got that puts you where you are.
I am waiting, yes I'm a captive fan.
I'm dying to be shown that you are not just any man.
So, if you are the Christ, yes the great Jesus Christ
Feed my household with this bread.
You can do it on your head.
Or has something gone wrong. Jesus, why do you take so long?
Oh come on, King of the Jews.
Hey! Aren't you scared of me Christ?
Mr. Wonderful Christ?
You're a joke. You're not the Lord.
You are nothing but a fraud.
Take him away.
He's got nothing to say!
Get out you King of the,
Get out King of the,
Oh get out you King of the Jews!
Get out of here!
Get out of here you,
Get out of my life.

from Jesus Christ Superstar

It was one of the best. Loved the whole movie, but that song was superb. (But shame on me....I hadn't remembered his name was Herod.)

Thanks for posting that!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

The Herod who judged Jesus was Herod Antipas--a son or a nephew--I forget which. Also a slimebag but much less ambitious.

Great song though.

They've been looking soooo long for it. Back before WWI there was a major push to find it. They had enough funds for one more search and instead found King Tut's tomb.

<cue up the music> :)


Such a despicable man (Harod). If he were alive today he'd be Chimp and Cheney all rolled in one, with Hitler, Stalin and Rove on the side.

King Tut's instead, the first thing they should have looked for is a map!

It would be interesting if there were lots of scrolls, detailing his reign...

The Bible says the Holy Family stayed in Eqypt until they heard that Herod had died, then they returned to their own country.

there were several Herods running around, it gets confusing (unlike now we only have the Harrod's of London). The Herod in Jesus' time wanted to let him go (during passover one condemned man was freed). The Pharisees and Sadducee wanted Jesus killed because he was a threat to the uneasy peace they had with Rome. Instead a fellow by the name of Barabbas was freed (by the crowd-call it Israeli Idol BC-before cell phone). Herod would have rather crucified the 'terrorist/murderer' Barabbas. There is speculation that Herod's wife was a Christian or at least sympathetic to them. That time period was ripe with intrigue and conflict and makes for a good read.