Reviews

Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho

Ehud Netzer (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 2001), 354 pp., 16 color plates, 10 b & w plates, $96 (available to BAR readers for $84 plus $13 for shipping from Israel; call 1–800-221–4644 to order)

Jericho under the Hasmonean and Herodian dynasties is one of the most fascinating and important sites in Judea. In the western part of the oasis (west of the modern town), on both banks of Wadi Qelt, the Judean kings of the second and first centuries B.C.E. and the first century C.E. erected a great complex of winter palaces. Fed by aqueducts, these opulent palaces were adorned with pools and gardens that put the palace of Versailles to shame. The Hasmonean kings, who also belonged to a priestly family, built their palace among the grand houses and villas erected by their predecessors in Jericho. Herod, who ruled from 37 to 4 B.C.E., inherited the site from the Hasmoneans and added to it on a lavish scale.