The death of a high priest
Herod's decision to make Hananel high priest infuriated the Hasmonaean members of his family and household. He could argue that Hananel was a direct descendant of Zadok, who had been high priest at the time of Solomon, but this gained him nothing. His mother-in-law Alexandra wrote an angry letter to Cleopatra. She was sure that Cleopatra could persuade Antony to overrule Herod and transfer the high priesthood to her seventeen year old son Aristobulus. Miriam too used her charms to support her brother's cause. It was too much and Herod gave in. He sacked Hananel and made the young Aristobulus high priest.
Herod suspected that this was the first step in a plot to overthrow him and had his mother-in-law placed under surveillance. This infuriated Alexandra who plotted to escape to Cleopatra in Egypt with her son. Herod was informed of the plan but there was nothing he could do – at least openly. He pretended to forgive them, and bided [3] his time.
At the feast of Tabernacles in 35 BC Aristobulus officiated [4] as high priest for the first time. When the crowds saw the handsome youth in his sacred robes they were reminded of the regal [5] position his family had once enjoyed and began to mumble [6] against the usurper. When this was reported to Herod he decided to act immediately. The feast lasted for a week or more. When it was over the whole family went down to Jericho where they were entertained by Alexandra at her winter palace outside the town. Herod encouraged [7] the young Aristobulus to get drunk and, as it was a very hot afternoon, took him for a stroll [8] beside the swimming pools in the palace grounds. By arrangement some of Herod's young friends were romping [9] in the water and the king urged Aristobulus to join the game. In pretence of play the youths ducked [10] him and held him down until he drowned. Herod pretended to be appalled [11] at the 'accident' and prepared an elaborate funeral for the boy. Alexandra guessed the truth. She said nothing to Herod but wrote again to her friend Cleopatra. On hearing of the accusation Antony summoned Herod to him.
In great trepidation [12] Herod appeared before his patron, ready with excuses and the customary large sum of money. But his reception was not what he expected. Antony understood Herod's predicament[13]. He did not even refer to the charges.
An impregnable [14] fortress [15]
Masada had once been part of the precipitous [16] plateau that hems [17] in the western side of the Dead Sea. Millions of years of erosion isolated it from the plateau and turned it into an impregnable fortress. The rock was first fortified by the Hasmonaean kings but it was Herod who built the structures that can now be seen.
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The defences
Masada could be approached only from the east or the west. On the east there is a tortuous [18] and narrow track, 5.5 km long, known as the snake path. It has to be climbed in single file [19] under constant threat from above. On the western side it is less than 100m high. Herod surrounded the summit with a casemate [20] wall – a wall with rooms in it. This was strengthened by towers mainly concentrated at the weak spots on the east and west sides.
Water supply
Herod's family had suffered from thirst during the Parthian siege [21] of Masada. He was determined that this would not happen again. He cut two rows of cisterns in the rock face above the Ben Yair ravine [22] which runs along the north west face of Masada. He then dammed the ravine and the Masada valley that runs round the south-west end of the fortress. He built simple aqueducts [23] from them to the cisterns. The Ben Yair filled the lower row of cisterns and the Masada valley [24] fed the upper row. In the rainy season the dams [25] collected the water and it flowed along the aqueduct to the cisterns. These cisterns could hold about 40,000 cubic metres of water. The water was carried up a winding path, through the Water Gate and poured into vast cisterns on the summit.
The Hanging Palace
The most remarkable of Herod's buildings at Masada is the so-called 'Hanging Palace'. This was built into the north end of the rock at three levels. The top level was built on the summit but the two other levels were constructed in steps down the cliff face. The lowest level was 35 m down the cliff face. The various levels were reached by square 'spiral' staircases [26]. Unfortunately only the lowest level is sufficiently intact [27] to make an accurate attempt at reconstruction. Here there was a colonnaded court with a small bathroom attached.
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