Herod was not only the legendary builder of ancient Jerusalem and the Holy Land, but also he was responsible for the Slaughter of the Innocents soon after Jesus was born. The tomb, which was found after a 35-year search by Ehud Netzer, an archaeologist from Hebrew University, is located at a site called Herodium where Herod built two palaces. This flattened hilltop in the Judean Desert is clearly visible from southern Jerusalem.
The Associated Press and London's Guardian report that it has long been assumed by historians and archaeologists that Herod was buried there, but numerous excavations on and around the site had failed to find the tomb that was described by 1st century historian Josephus Flavius. Netzer found it in a previously unexplored area that was located between the two palaces that Herod built on this site. "This is significant because of Herod's importance to Christianity and Judaism and the number of buildings he left behind," Netzer told The Guardian.
Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans in 37 B.C., and the wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem still stands today. Herodium was eventually conquered and destroyed by Roman troops in A.D. 71, a year after they destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
The New Testament accuses Herod of the Slaughter of the Innocents. The Gospel According to Matthew recounts the story: Upon learning of the birth of Jesus, King Herod told three wise men to go find the baby so he, too, could worship the newborn king. The wise men, who realized that Herod had evil intentions and wanted to kill Jesus, warned Joseph to flee with his family. When Herod found out that he had been tricked, he ordered what has come to be known as the Slaughter of the Innocents. All boys under the age of two were killed in order to protect Herod from the new king.
Netzer followed a series of clues to locate Herod's mausoleum. He thinks the king originally intended to be buried on his estate, but later changed his mind. Netzer found a wide staircase that ascended the mountain and led to the remains of the mausoleum, which includes a podium and broken remains of the main structure. The sarcophagus or coffin was deliberately destroyed, probably by Jews who rebelled against Rome in 66 A.D. Hundreds of pieces of stone decorated with rosettes that once made up the sarcophagus were scattered around the site. There were no signs of bones.
--From the Editors at Netscape
