Among the various buildings on the top of the Herodion Palace, the bathhouse is of particular interest. This bathing complex was small and intended for the personal use of the king. As usual, there were three rooms of different temperatures from cold to hot. The roof of one of the rooms was made of stone blocks that make up the dome. There are segments of red-painted stucco discovered in this room.
A stunning structure that has no analogs in the ancient world is the palace, fortress, and mausoleum of one of the most famous rulers of the past - King Herod the Great. Herodion rises above the hills of the Judean desert and silently looks over Bethlehem - the city where Jesus was born. Who knows, maybe it was the Herodion from where Herod the Great gave the order to kill all the babies in Bethlehem to destroy Jesus. Professor Netzer spent 30 years searching for Herod’s tomb and died in Herodion. Who knows, maybe in this way the king’s curse came true, imposed on the one who will disturb his grave. Herodion is the place where Bar Kochba rebels hid and the place where the desert blooms in spring with the blue Iris, so rare for these places.
