Walking Where He Walked- Day 2 (Part 1)

What a beautiful view on top of Herodium! You will have an obstructed 360 degree view: east toward Moab in Tranjordan, from where Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem; south toward Tekoa where the prophet Amos was a shephered; west toward Bethlehem; and north toward Jerusalem. 

Below this fortress is the subtle transition from the desert to the cultivated area where shepherds lead their flocks from place to place, depending on the time of the year.

It was in the shadow of this fortress that the Prince of Peace was born. 

In 40 BC, Herod barely escaped from Palestine. The combined forces of Jews and Parthians had closed in on him as they supported a Jewish Hasmonean contender for the throne, Mayathias Antigonus. However, Herod managed to defeat this coalition and escape to Rome.  Once the Roman Senate conferred the kingship of Palestine on Herod, he returned and made plans to build a palace and a fortress on the site od his great victory. 

The building of this very unusual fortress, began in 24 BC, was completed in 15 BC. Herod was buried here and his grave was found in 2007.