ABSTRACT
Herod constructed a large number of forts, palaces, temples, infrastructure projects, and entire cities during his reign, whose skill, planning, and bravado continue to impress and awe today. He spared no expense, particularly on his palaces, and their level of sophistication is still evident in their ruin. Hostile environments—on top of mountains, in deserts, or both—were no obstacle to Herod’s placement of luxury palaces, which he filled with features that were novel, even in Rome at the center of the empire: heated baths, sunken gardens, expansive and expensive wall paintings, and decorated floors.
