At the base of the fortress was an impressive royal compound with magnificent gardens.
A special aqueduct brought water to the desert from the area of Solomons Pools near Bethlehem.
He also built, in the plain below the hill, an administrative center for the region.
The Roman procurators then held the place until the outbreak of the Great Revolt in 66 AD.
During this revolt, rebels entrenched themselves at Herodium until the Romans defeated them in 71 AD.
As part of their defense measures, the rebels dug secret tunnels around the cisterns, and hid there.
These tunnels can still be explored today.
The settlement at Lower Herodium continued to exist until the 8th century, after which Herodium lay abandoned.
It was only in the 1970s, that archaeologists began exploring the site.
As the excavation progressed, extensive restoration was carried out on the structures of Herodium.
