Cite this garden Netzer, E. (2021). "Herod's Tomb Garden." Gardens of the Roman Empire, accessed June 18, 2026. https://roman-gardens.github.io/id/ce27b94b83/

Herod's Tomb Garden

Author: Ehud Netzer
Published: 2021-04-21
Last modified: 2026-06-13

Dates

15 BCE - 60 CE

Garden Description

In 2005, Netzer's team found the long-sought tomb of Herod, positioned on a terrace constructed into the slope of the artificial hill. This terrace was constructed of chipped stone and construction debris, largely the light limestone of the area. To the front and sides of the tomb, a layer of rich brown loam, similar to that found in the other garden areas, clearly indicated a garden. (Fig. 4) A small pool with lead piping was found to the side of the terrace. Although the lead pipes had been robbed, the pool evidently watered the terraced gardens (fig 1B, 2, and 3)

Plans

Fig. 1:Plan of the complex at Herodium showing the Fortress Palace with its small peristyle garden (A), the Tomb Garden (B) and the Lower Palace with its central pool and cultivated grounds (C) (Yaniv Korman after Netzer)

Bibliography

  • E. Netzer, "Greater Herodium" in Qedem, Monographs of the Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 13, 1981 (worldcat)
  • E. Netzer The Palaces of the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great, Jerusalem: The Israel Exploration Society, 1999, 98-107 (worldcat)
  • I. Nielsen, Inge, Hellenistic Palaces, 1994, 201-203. (worldcat)
  • R. Porat, R. Chachy, and Y. Kalman. "Herodium I: Herod's Tomb Precinct, Final Reports of the 1972-2010 Excavations Directed by Ehud Netzer." Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society (2015). worldcat
  • D. Langgut, M. Cavanagh , R. Evyasaf, Y. Korman, R. Porat, G. Stiebel., K. Gleason. "The reconstruction of Herod the Great's palatial gardens in Herodium: a botanical perspective", In: Chachy R, Kalman Y, and Porat R (eds.), "Lower Herodium," in HERODIUM II; Final Reports of the 1972-2010 Excavations Directed by Ehud Netzer, Jerusalem. In press