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King Herod’s 2,000-Year-Old Basilica Uncovered

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Archeologists found cracks in the marble floor suggesting it was destroyed in an earthquake.

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Israel Antiquities Authority

Archaeologists have unearthed King Herod’s basilica in Israel’s Ashkelon National Park—and cracks found in the marble floor indicate the building was destroyed in an earthquake in 363 AD. According to ARTnews, the 2,000-year-old structure had a huge main hall that would have been used for religious ceremonies but also for social and business events. Herod, who is portrayed in the Bible as a ruthless tyrant who tried to kill the baby Jesus by ordering the death of all children under the age of two, served from 37 to 4 B.C. The Israel Antiquities Authority says it plans to rebuild the basilica and the adjoining theater.

Read it at ARTnews

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