Hundreds of years before the Hasmonean period, it is reasonable to assume that the winter palaces of the kings of Israel were also in the Jericho valley. The prophet Amos, who prophesied in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel – he mentions the winter house, as it is written in his book in chapter 3 (Amos 3:15). The mention of the “winter Palace” in the days of King Jeroboam is important, because as described in the 2nd book of Kings chapter 14 (23-29), it was a period in which the borders and power of the Kingdom of Israel increased. Jeroboam control over large areas east to the Jordan river and in Moab, contributed to the peace and prosperity of Jericho, both in terms of agriculture and in the construction of Winter Palaces.
After the destruction of Samaria, Jericho apparently was under the hands of the kings of Judah, and perhaps Jehoiakim’s winter palace, as it is written in the Book of Jeremiah chapter 36, was the palace built in Jericho.
Moving fast forward hundreds of years to the Hasmonean period – history returns, mainly during the period of Alexander Yanai – the expansion of the kingdom’s borders east to the Jordan river contributed to a period of prosperity in Jericho.
South to the current location of the city of Jericho, near the ancient road that descends from Jerusalem along Wadi Kelt, is a large site known as “Tulul Abu al-Alayk”, where Jericho of the Second Temple period was located. Ancient Jericho developed in stages parallel to the winter palaces that were first used by the Hasmonean kings, and then by King Herod and his sons. The beginning of the Hasmonean activity in the western Jericho Valley related to agricultural development.
Within the city of Jericho in our days is the Ein a-Sultan Spring, also known as Elisha Spring, and ancient Jericho developed around it. Despite the impressive amount of water from the spring, additional water was required as the Hasmoneans expanded their agricultural lands and their palaces. Increasing the amount of water was required to: (a) transform the palace complex into a flourishing garden. (b) supply water to large swimming pools near and between the palaces, (c) feed the many purification baths that were built here, and of course (d) support the cultivation of palm trees used for producing liquor and wines, and growing the Afarsimon bushes used for producing a unique perfume. The demand in Rome for this perfume was enormous and therefore their economic value was significant. For those 4 reasons, the Hasmonean rulers built several aqueducts, supplying water from two sources: from the springs of Wadi Kelt, which are: Ein Prat, Ein Mabua, and Ein Kelt, and from the springs of the Na’ran area: Ein Nu’ima, Ein Dok, Ein Abu Shusha, and also from Ein Uja in the north.
The first Hasmonean palace in Jericho is also known as the Buried Palace. It was built near the place where Wadi Kelt emerges from the mountains, at the closest point to Jerusalem from the Jericho Valley, about 25 km from the capital Jerusalem. The place is slightly higher than the Jericho Valley, and from there you can see almost the entire valley. The construction of the first palace was preceded by the construction of a watchtower that was probably used for guarding the agricultural farm. The palace architects found a way to integrate the tower, which was 13x13m’ into the new structure. Over the years, it was decided to fill the palace with dirt to build a new fortified palace above it. The largest wing of the building (the northern wing) was north of the courtyard and included living rooms and various restrooms. In the eastern part of the wing, a complete mikveh, which is a purification bath was exposed. I will elaborate on the mikvehs in the Hasmonean palaces in Jericho in a separate video. With the construction of the central building, a pool for bathing and swimming was built on its western side, approximately 8x9m, probably the first pool in Jericho. It seems that as early as the days of John Hyrcanus, who built the first palace, a second pool was added, similar in size to the first. Perhaps they were intended to be used by two different groups of bathers.
The second Hasmonean palace, known as the Fortified Palace, was built by Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai), who inherited the palace his father had built in Jericho. Jannaeus decided to expand the plantations and enlarge the swimming pools, and for this, more water was needed. Jannaeus carved two very large swimming pools northeast of the palace and also many baths, rooms, and mikvehs around the mound. I mentioned the solution to increasing the water supply a few minutes ago – drawing water from three nearby springs in the Na’ran area, northwest of Jericho: Ein Nu’ima, Ein Dok, and Ein Shusha, and also from Ein Uja – one of the largest springs in the Jericho Valley, north of the estate. All these springs were connected by an aqueduct to the royal estate and the winter palace next to it.
About 65 years after the magnificent pool complex was built, a famous political murder took place there. Before that event, Herod was forced to appoint Aristobulus III, the brother of his wife Miriam, as high priest. At the beginning of his reign, Herod preferred to appoint a high priest who was not from the Hasmonean family, but the Roman ruler Mark Antony prevented him from doing so. According to Josephus Flavious, Aristobulus was exceptionally handsome. The young Hasmonean prince aroused the sympathy of the people and the memory of the Hasmoneans when the pilgrims to Jerusalem gathered at the Temple. Herod could not bear the jealousy and was seized with anxiety, fearing that Mark Antony would take the kingship from him and pass it on to the young priest. During Sukkot, when the royal family gathered in Jericho, Herod organized a “pool party” for Aristobulus, at the end of which Herod’s emissaries drowned Aristobulus in the pool.
The close proximity to Jerusalem justified the initiative of John Hyrcanus I, the father of Alexander Jannaeus, to build a winter palace in the Jericho Valley. The short distance from the capital allowed for relatively frequent use of the palace without affecting the royal activity. It is likely that officials of the royal palace would come specifically from Jerusalem for meetings and discussions. In practice, nothing has survived from the building that stood on top of the artificial mound.
The third Hasmonean Palace is the Twin Palace built by Queen Shlomtzion, also known as Salome Alexandra. Upon the death of Alexander Jannaeus, in 76 BCE, the monarchy passed to his widow, Queen Shlomtzion, the only queen in the Hasmonean kingdom. Shlomtzion could fulfill the functions of government, but not the role of High Priest, being a woman, and she handed this role over to her eldest son Hyrcanus II, and here the jealousy affair with his younger brother Aristobulus II, who did not accept this appointment peacefully, occurred. I will not elaborate on the jealousy between the brothers and their actions as a result, I will only mention that it made a significant contribution to the end of the Hasmonean dynasty decades later. In the situation that arose, the high priesthood could not be divided between the two, and the queen did not intend to divide the power either. So, she decided on an equal division of everything related to property or finances. This is probably the reason for the construction of the twin buildings that were uncovered in Jericho south of the pool Complex. Archaeological data indicate that the construction of the twin buildings was carried out during the reign of Shlomtzion. Immediately after her death, a few years after the two buildings were built, the younger brother Aristobulus rebelled against his older brother Hyrcanus. Aristobulus had the upper hand, but the conflict ended in a kind of “household peace”. In an agreement made by the two brothers in the Temple in Jerusalem, the young brother was given both the priesthood and the throne. On the other hand, the two brothers divided the family property.
The entire Hasmonean palace complex stood on its mound until the earthquake of 31 BCE. Clear evidence of sudden destruction comes from the twin palaces.
To conclude, as usual, I have a question for you. Two fortresses built during the Hasmonean period protected the palace complex in Jericho, the orchards, and the road to Jerusalem. What were their names. The answer will appear at the end of the video.
