Herodium: Herod’s Innovative Masterpiece

Herod the Great was a client king of the Romans and his loyalty to the Empire is unquestioned. He demonstrated his innovative and imaginative approach to building at Herodium. He brought to Judea architectural and technical inventions that transformed building practices. There is ample evidence of his unique ability to plan and build a complex multi-functional site, to mould the landscape to his will and to blend architectural forms from Roman, Hellenistic and traditional norms into an Herodian standard. He was a builder king who understood engineering and architecture. He was creative and practical and above all he demanded the highest quality from his builders. His perpetual monument at Herodium has survived for over two thousand years due to Herod’s skill and ingenuity, a tribute to his innovative approach to building.