The legacy of biblical King Herod

Handle of a footed marble basin decorated with Silenoi heads. The basin was probably given to Herod as a gift from Emperor Augustus or his second in command, Marcus Agrippa, 1st century BCE. (Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Marble portrait of Emperor Augustus, a close friend and benefactor of King Herod, wearing a civic crown, 1st century BCE. (Staatliche Antikensammlungen u. Glyptothek)

Carved limestone window screen with cut-out decoration, from the bathhouse of Lower Herodium, 1st century BCE. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Elaborate clay chandelier fashioned as a multi-nuzzled lamp, 1st century BCE. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Corinthian capital, from Herod's palace in Jericho. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Magnificent glass drinking cups from the time of Augustus, 1st century CE. This type of ware of was used in the lavish banquets of the Roman aristocracy and was no doubt used in Herod's palaces too. (Metropolital Museum of Art)

Corinthian capital, drum and base of column, from Herod's palace at Cypros. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

View from the pool in the Lower Herodium towards the mountain palace. (Professor Ehud Netzer)

Footed marble basin decoarted with Silenoi heads. The basin was probably given to Herod as a gift from Emperor Augustus or his second in command, Marcus Agrippa, the 1st century BCE. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Bronze Portrait of Marcus Agrippa, right hand man of Augustus Agrippa, who was a close friend of Herod who visited the kingdom in 15 BCE. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Herodian architectural fragment decorated with a meander, palmettes and scrolls, found near the Hulda gates leading to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the 1st century BCE. (The Hecht Museum/University of Haifa/Shai Levy)

Professor Ehud Netzer and Roi Porat in the Royal room of the theater at Herodium at the end of the excavation. (The Herodium Expedition/Hebrew University of Jerusalem/Gabi Laron)

Professor Ehud Netzer during the excavatiosn at Masada. (The Netzer family)

A detailed model of the Second Temple: Mariamme, Phasael and Hippicus, the multi-storied towers of the citadel built by Herod in Jerusalem. (The Israel Museum)

Professor Ehud Netzer at the excavatiosn in Herodium, conducted during the 80s. (The Netzer family)

Ionic capital from the upper story of Herod's mausoleum. (The Israel Museum/Meidad Suchowolski)

Portrait of Marc Anthony on a gold coin from 39 BCE. (American Nurismatic Society/Mike Gasvoda)

Initial reconstruction proposal of Herod's mausoleum. (Professor Ehud Netzer)

Pilaster made of stucco, from the royal room at the theater in Herodium, 1st century BCE. (The Herodium Expedition/Hebrew University of Jerusalem/Gabi Laron)