Section L

Section L
Probable site of Herod's army base in 38 BCE

After surveying the area in 1988, the archaeologist Dr. Zvi Ilan wrote "Before closing I would like to add that in the flat area near the cliff of Mount Arbel, we have found the remains of what may be a Roman way-station or military encampment. The remains are comprised of walls enclosing an area which was cleared of rocks. They have not been identified with any certainty at this stage, and they are not crucial to the identification of the Arbel cave village. But if they are indeed what we think they are, they will add another aspect to our knowledge of Arbel and the battle fought there" ("Reviving a 2,000-year-Old Landmark", in Eretz Magazine, Winter 1988/9, p. 69 col 3).

On the basis of this statement, indicating that Herod's camp had finally been located, we visited the site in February 2020.

click text to see the picture

1001 To the northeast of the ruins of Arbel village, there is indeed a flat area near the cliff, cleared of rocks. In this photo, it is just the other side of the tree on the skyline, in front, at a distance of about 700 m.

1002 A view of the cliff looking back towards the Arbel village ruins (the path beyond the cliff, top left, is the path to the synagogue ruins, seen in 001)

1003 The field beyond the tree in 001 is cleared of rocks, but no walls or enclosure can been seen

1004 Further away, the same field has not been cleared of rocks. The elevation on the horizon is upper Tiberias

1005 In this area, no walls can be seen above ground, but there is a huge stone-dump near the cliff edge. Many of these rocks look as if they were used in construction. Moshav Arbel and the ruins of Arbel village are seen in the distance, beyond the cliff.

1006 From close-up the stone-dump looks like an ancient mini-fortress that has collapsed

1007 And also from further away

1008 This would have been a strategic site for a fortress, overlooking the cliffs,

1009 ....directly opposite the defensive wall on Mt. Nitai,

1010 ....with the main range of Arbel cliffs to the northeast,

1011 ....protected by unassailable cliffs,

1012 ....with very steep slopes down to Wadi Arbel below

1013 But we know this is a recent stone-dump, because,

1014 ....there are rusty cans under the rocks, indicating that they were dumped here less than 30 years ago. However, a local historian testifies that these rocks were not dumped by the farmers of the Moshav

1015 So, if this massive pile of natural and hewn rocks was not brought here by the farmers from their fields, where did they come from?

1016 The dimensions of this dump are 50 x 30 m. approx. It would have taken a bulldozer,

1017 ....and a tip-up truck, several weeks to move all this

1018 But the origins of this landmark remain a puzzle to this day. Our suggestion is in the report at the end of this section

1019 Many people do not even know about it, because it is so well camouflaged from a distance

1020 There are some interesting features, indicating secondary use

1021 And some of the rocks are well carved and have lines indicating graffiti. This one is 60 cms long.

1022 This one is part of a column, 40 cms long

1023 Also with signs of graffiti

1024 During our study of this curious stone-dump, we also found field pottery and pieces of brick-like material

1025 The adjacent field also has some interesting features: 150 m from the cliff, in a strip parallel to the road and about 20 m. to the north of it

1026 Single lines of stones. The cabin in the top right is at the entrance to the Arbel National Park

1027 About 40 large piles of grey stones, at intervals along a 250 m. stretch

1028 Further examples

1029 Further examples

1030 Further examples

1031 Close up

1032 Stones piled in a circular hole

1033 A line of stones suggesting the top layer of a wall

1034 Another line of stones suggesting a buried wall

1035 About 250 m. from the first piles, there are no more

1036 Just a few scattered stones,

1037 ....some of which are carefully hewn

1038 On the site of Herod's camp, there are still more questions than answers, but a simple archaeological survey of this area would help to decide this issue

For the report on our visit to the site with Prof. Mordechai Aviam in February 2020, please click here

Section L Probable site of Herod's army base in 38 BCE After surveying the area in 1988, the archaeologist Dr. Zvi Ilan wrote "Before closing I would like to add that in the flat area near the cliff of Mount Arbel, we have found the remains of what may be a Roman way-station or military encampment. The remains are comprised of walls enclosing an area which was cleared of rocks. They have not been identified with any certainty at this stage, and they are not crucial to the identification of the Arbel cave village. But if they are indeed what we think they are, they will add another aspect to our knowledge of Arbel and the battle fought there" ("Reviving a 2,000-year-Old Landmark", in Eretz Magazine, Winter 1988/9, p. 69 col 3). On the basis of this statement, indicating that Herod's camp had finally been located, we visited the site in February 2020. click text to see the picture
1001	To the northeast of the ruins of Arbel village, there is indeed a flat area near the cliff, cleared of rocks. In this photo, it is just the other side of the tree on the skyline, in front, at a distance of about 700 m.
1002	A view of the cliff looking back towards the Arbel village ruins (the path beyond the cliff, top left, is the path to the synagogue ruins, seen in 001)
1003	The field beyond the tree in 001 is cleared of rocks, but no walls or enclosure can been seen
1004	Further away, the same field has not been cleared of rocks. The elevation on the horizon is upper Tiberias
1005	In this area, no walls can be seen above ground, but there is a huge stone-dump near the cliff edge. Many of these rocks look as if they were used in construction. Moshav Arbel and the ruins of Arbel village are seen in the distance, beyond the cliff.
1006	From close-up the stone-dump looks like an ancient mini-fortress that has collapsed
1007	And also from further away
1008	This would have been a strategic site for a fortress, overlooking the cliffs,
1009	....directly opposite the defensive wall on Mt. Nitai,
1010	....with the main range of Arbel cliffs to the northeast,
1011	....protected by unassailable cliffs,
1012	....with very steep slopes down to Wadi Arbel below
1013	But we know this is a recent stone-dump, because,
1014	....there are rusty cans under the rocks, indicating that they were dumped here less than 30 years ago. However, a local historian testifies that these rocks were not dumped by the farmers of the Moshav
1015	So, if this massive pile of natural and hewn rocks was not brought here by the farmers from their fields, where did they come from?
1016	The dimensions of this dump are 50 x 30 m. approx. It would have taken a bulldozer,
1017	....and a tip-up truck, several weeks to move all this
1018	But the origins of this landmark remain a puzzle to this day. Our suggestion is in the report at the end of this section
1019	Many people do not even know about it, because it is so well camouflaged from a distance
1020	There are some interesting features, indicating secondary use
1021	And some of the rocks are well carved and have lines indicating graffiti. This one is 60 cms long.
1022	This one is part of a column, 40 cms long
1023	Also with signs of graffiti
1024	During our study of this curious stone-dump, we also found field pottery and pieces of brick-like material
1025	The adjacent field also has some interesting features: 150 m from the cliff, in a strip parallel to the road and about 20 m. to the north of it
1026	Single lines of stones. The cabin in the top right is at the entrance to the Arbel National Park
1027	About 40 large piles of grey stones, at intervals along a 250 m. stretch
1028	Further examples
1029	Further examples
1030	Further examples
1031	Close up
1032	Stones piled in a circular hole
1033	A line of stones suggesting the top layer of a wall
1034	Another line of stones suggesting a buried wall
1035	About 250 m. from the first piles, there are no more
1036	Just a few scattered stones,
1037	....some of which are carefully hewn
1038	On the site of Herod's camp, there are still more questions than answers, but a simple archaeological survey of this area would help to decide this issue
For the report on our visit to the site with Prof. Mordechai Aviam in February 2020, please click here