Jericho is located in a desert region, but there are abundant springs nearby, so since ancient times there has been a settlement in and around the city. The city of Jericho is one of the oldest in our region, and the Hebrew Bible mentions it as the first city conquered by the Israelites during their entry into the land of Canaan. About 1,000 years later, after the rise of the Hasmonean kingdom, the Hasmonean rulers took advantage of Jericho’s proximity to Jerusalem, the pleasant weather here in the winter, and the abundance of water, and built here a series of palaces for the winter.
Jericho under the Hasmonean rule was one of the most important places in Judah. The impressive winter palaces were built by the kings of Judah to the west of the modern-day city of Jericho on both sides of Wadi Kelt. The palaces, which included an impressive number of pools and gardens, were cultivated using aqueducts that supplied water from the springs of Wadi Kelt and from springs in the Na’aran area.
The priestly families of Jerusalem had extensive property in Jericho. The kings of the Hasmonean dynasty were also from a priestly family, so that their palaces blended in well with the luxurious houses and villas that these families built in Jericho. The Hasmonean palace complex stood until the earthquake of 31 BCE. Herod inherited the Hasmonean palaces and improved them. The palace complex covers an area of 1,200 dunams equivalent to approximately 300 Acres. Next to the palaces was a large estate – 500 dunams, where date palms and groves of Afarsimon bushes grew, from which they produced valuable perfumes.
Let’s start with Herod’s first palace in Jericho (the “Gymnasium”) – Herod, who received the mandate from the Romans to rule Judea in 40 BCE, was drawn to Jericho from the very beginning of his journey. The wealth of the place and the potential income from the unique crops in the well-watered oasis attracted him, and in addition, the pleasant winter climate and the beauty of this wonderful place enchanted him. Around 36 BCE, Marcus Antonius, a commander and senior partner in the government in Rome, transferred Jericho to the ownership of Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt and his beloved. Although Cleopatra asked for Herod’s entire kingdom, Antonius granted her only a few areas, including the port city of Jaffa and the Jericho Valley. Herod did not give up the wealth hidden in the Jericho Valley and leased the famous Jericho orchards from Cleopatra, in order to continue to generate profits, even if they were smaller than he had before. In 35 or 36 BCE, Herod built his first palace in Jericho on the southern bank of Wadi Kelt. The palace was rectangular, measuring 46 by 87 meters. The entrance to it was from the north, from the direction of Wadi Kelt. Those who came to the palace entered a spacious entrance hall and from there directly into a peristyle courtyard. The first palace reflects his delicate situation in the city that Cleopatra controlled.
The rectangular structure was closed to the outside, and it was not possible to fully enjoy the magnificent view of the valley. Nothing remains of it today. After the excavation, the palace was covered over again.
According to the writings of Josephus Flavious, Herod’s second palace was built on the northern bank of Wadi Kelt on top of the Hasmonean palaces that were destroyed in the earthquake of 31 BCE. Another earthquake was political, following the Battle of Actium in 30 BCE. Herod’s patron until then was Marcus Antonius. Antonius’s rival was Octavian, who later changed his name to Augustus. There was a high possibility that he would identify Herod with his defeated colleague and take power from Herod, and perhaps even his life. Herod, in a brilliant political move, went to Rhodes to meet Augustus and managed to get the emperor on his side. Not only did Herod receive a renewed mandate to rule over all of Judea, but Augustus added additional regions, such as Samaria and Gedera.
Herod’s status in Jericho changed completely. Also, beyond the fact that the Hasmonean palace was severely damaged in the earthquake, the departure of Cleopatra, who was the patron of the Hasmoneans, damaged their status. Herod laid his hands on the Hasmonean property in Jericho, and a few years later built a new palace on the ruins of the palace of his predecessors in power. Unlike the first palace, which faced inward, the new palace was built as a complex open to the landscape and nature. The uniqueness of the second palace was in the residential wing and the area designated for entertainment. The palace was built on an artificial mound that covered the Hasmonean palace, and its size was 35 × 43 m. Its high location, 8m above the surface of its surroundings, allowed those staying there to enjoy the view of the royal estate’s orchard and the surrounding landscape. The second palace had an abundance of ornamental gardens. In the pleasure wing was the large pool, 18 by 32 meters (Herod connected the two swimming pools built by Jannaeus), and in addition there was a bathhouse.
The third palace built by Herod in Jericho was an architectural gem. Its construction was convenient because at the time, in addition to the second palace, the first palace, south of Wadi Kelt, continued to function, so that both palaces allowed the king and his family and friends to enjoy the winter climate of Jericho while the third palace was being built. Three sites where remains of walls with stone facings in unique styles were uncovered, testify to the engineering assistance that Herod received from Rome. The construction technique is associated with walls that were cast in concrete and their outer shell was built using small stones that were specially hewn for this purpose. The corners were built using rectangular stones that are called “opus quadratum”. The rest of the wall was built using tiny square stones, laid at a 45-degree angle and are called “opus reticulatum”. The third palace is spread over about 30 dunams on both sides of Wadi Kelt. The palace was designed as an architectural complex. With the exception of the giant pool that was south of Wadi Kelt, all the walls of the palace were parallel to the route of Wadi Kelt or perpendicular to it. The new palace consisted of four wings. The largest and central of the four is the “North Wing”, and it extended north of the wadi. The other three wings were south of the wadi: the sunken garden, the giant pool, and the southern mound.
The northern wing included halls, guest rooms, two peristyle courtyards, and a Roman-style bathhouse. Also adjacent to the wing, to the east, was a building that apparently served as a toilet or living space for the palace staff. This building was built around a central courtyard, and was originally part of the villa that preceded the construction of the third palace. At the western end of the row of rooms was a circular room, 8m in diameter, with four niches. This room was most likely used as a sweating room. The room was probably heated with coals placed on trays.
South of Wadi Kelt. East of the garden, and at the same level, a huge pool was built, the largest in the area of the Winter Palace complex. The pool was about 90m long and 42m wide. It was probably used for swimming, also for sailing in small boats, and of course also for games and competitions related to these two activities.
The southern mound was an engineering challenge. In order to build a hall of this size and shape, the use of concrete was necessary. No less impressive was the ascent to the hall at the top of the mound, the stairs probably led directly to the hall. Herod’s third palace was probably built in 15 BCE. In one of the rooms of the palace, Herod died of a serious illness in 4 BCE.
With the completion of the Third Palace, three palaces operated simultaneously at the winter site in Jericho, and there is no doubt that the Third Palace became the representative palace. The Second Palace, after it was built, enjoyed a similar status. Judging by the parlor halls, until the Third Palace was built, the parlor of the First Palace served as the main hall for important receptions. Perhaps we should see the First Palace as a palace that served as a central place for residence and hospitality even after the Second Palace was built, while the Second Palace was mainly a palace for entertainment purposes, with an emphasis on swimming activities. After the Third Palace was built, the main entertainment components and receptions moved to it, but the main place of residence continued, in all likelihood, to be the First Palace and to some extent also the Second Palace.
And finally, as usual, I have a question for you: Across from Jericho, on the eastern side of the Jordan river, there was a Jewish settlement where like Jericho, they also grew the prestigious plant, the Afarsimon. What is the name of the place? The answer will appear as usual at the end of the video.
