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machaerus

machaerus


  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Machaerus 
  the  Black  Fortress,  was  built  by  Herod  the  Great  in  the  gorge  of 
  Callirhoe,  one  of  the  wadies  9  miles  east  of  the  Dead  Sea,  as  a 
  frontier  rampart  against  Arab  marauders.  John  the  Baptist  was 
  probably  cast  into  the  prison  connected  with  this  castle  by 
  Herod  Antipas,  whom  he  had  reproved  for  his  adulterous  marriage 
  with  Herodias.  Here  Herod  "made  a  supper"  on  his  birthday.  He 
  was  at  this  time  marching  against  Aretas,  king  of  Perea,  to 
  whose  daughter  he  had  been  married.  During  the  revelry  of  the 
  banquet  held  in  the  border  fortress,  to  please  Salome,  who 
  danced  before  him  he  sent  an  executioner,  who  beheaded  John, 
  and  "brought  his  head  in  a  charger,  and  gave  it  to  the  damsel" 
  (Mark  6:14-29).  This  castle  stood  "starkly  bold  and  clear"  3,860 
  feet  above  the  Dead  Sea,  and  2,546  above  the  Mediterranean.  Its 
  ruins,  now  called  M'khaur,  are  still  visible  on  the  northern  end 
  of  Jebel  Attarus.