The man, the myth, the legend... Herod the Great

Herod the Great was a crazy person who did crazy things. A serious megalomaniac he was torn between the world of the Jews (his father was a convert) and the Romans (he was entranced by their glamor and splendor). While serving as the king and supervisor of the holy land areas during the first century Herod took very seriously the idea of making His name great.

Where the land was flat he built a mountain (the Herodium). Where there was nothing he built a Harbor and a magnificent city on the sea (Ceasarea). Where there was desert and rocks he built a lush green palace garden (Masada). To appease the Jews he rebuilt their temple into one of the largest most lavish buildings in the world. I think Herod would be quite pleased that we still speak of him today. He died a horrible gruesome death (seriously, look it up, it's super gross) and was so distressed that people wouldn't mourn his passing that he gathered together 500 of the most prestigious leaders and teachers of the land and locked them in a coliseum with orders to the guards to kill all of them upon news of his death so that the people would all be in mourning. (dont worry, after he died the guards let all the innocent men go).

My favorite of Herods achievements in Ceasarea Maritime. On the plain of Sharon in northwestern Israel there was a tiny fishing village. Herod flattened it and built a harbor in a place with no natural resources to make it easy. His engineers discovered a new way of building and figured out how to make concrete that would harden underwater. They built a magnificent palace that stretched out onto the Mediterranean Sea and in the middle of it was a huge rectangular FRESH water swimming pool. There was a hippodrome where there were races and a theatre for entertainment. Mosaics, roman baths, beaches. Besdies a great city, Herod also had great aquaducts built - because there is NO natural source of fresh water anywhere near Ceasarea. If Ceasarea was in Texas, I would live there... it's AWESOME.

Not to mention its beauty. This is one of the prettiest places I've been. It had rained ALL day long when we came to Ceasarea and upon our arrival at the coast the clouds broke up and the sun shone through and it was magnificent. This is the city where Paul was held prisoner at the end of Acts. It was the Roman seat of government for the whole levant region after Herods death.

Enjoy these lovely photos of this most lovely city.