Ruthless, murderous and brilliant, Herod the
Great, half-Jewish and half-Arab, conquered Jerusalem, rebuilt the
Temple (shown here in a model reconstruction) and created the city
at its most splendid. (illustration credit
ill.11)
Above left This ossuary, marked
“Simon the builder of the Sanctuary,” probably contained the bones
of the architect. Above right The inscription in Greek
from the Temple warning gentiles not to enter the inner courts on
pain of death. (illustration credit
ill.12)
Most of the southern and western walls of the
Temple Mount, including the Jewish holy place, the Wall, are
Herodian. The impregnable south-eastern corner was the Pinnacle
where Jesus was tempted by Satan. A seam in the wall (just visible
on the far right of this picture) seems to show Herod’s giant
ashlars to the left and the older, smaller Maccabean stones to the
right. (illustration credit
ill.13)
Jesus’ Crucifixion, depicted by van Eyck in
this painting, was almost certainly a Roman measure, backed by the
Temple elite, to destroy any messianic threat to the status quo.
(illustration credit
ill.14)
Herod the Great’s son Herod Antipas, ruler of
Galilee, mocked Jesus but refused to judge him. (illustration credit
ill.15)