Machaerus and the Hot Springs: Herod's Fortress Above the Dead Sea

A palace on a lonely hill

The fortress of Machaerus, near the modern village of Mukawir, was first built in the first century BC and later rebuilt and enlarged by Herod the Great, who ruled the region under Rome. He turned the hilltop into a fortified palace with courtyards, baths and a view across the Dead Sea. After Herod's death, the fortress passed to his son Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee and Perea, the region east of the Jordan River. Around AD 72 Roman forces besieged and destroyed the fortress, and the remains of their siege works can still be traced on the surrounding slopes.

The story of John the Baptist

The Gospels tell how John the Baptist was arrested by Herod Antipas and later executed at the request of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, after she danced at a banquet. The Gospels do not name the place where this happened. The ancient historian Flavius Josephus, writing in the first century, states that John was imprisoned and put to death at Machaerus. For this reason, Christian tradition has long linked this hilltop with the end of John's life. John is also honoured in Islam as the Prophet Yahya, and his story is respected by many faiths. Visitors who come here often combine it with a visit to the Baptism Site on the Jordan River.

Waters that heal

The region around Machaerus is famous for its hot springs. Josephus wrote that Herod the Great, during his final illness, went to bathe in the warm waters of Callirrhoe near the Dead Sea, hoping to be healed. This spring is generally identified with the springs at Zara on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, and it is even shown on the Madaba Mosaic Map. A little further inland, at Hammamat Ma'in, many hot springs pour down the walls of a deep, narrow valley, forming steaming waterfalls coloured by minerals. The water is rich in minerals, and people have bathed in it for its warmth and believed healing powers since ancient times.

Visiting today

From the village of Mukawir, a path and steps climb the hill to the ruins of Machaerus. The walk takes around twenty to thirty minutes and rewards you with some of the most dramatic views in Jordan, across the Dead Sea and, on clear days, to the hills on the far shore. Restored columns mark the courtyard of the palace. Late afternoon light is especially beautiful. Hammamat Ma'in is reached by a steep and winding road that descends from the Madaba plateau. The hot waterfalls can be seen and enjoyed by visitors, and the drive itself, through rugged canyon scenery, is part of the experience.

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