Part 7/8:
Herod's storied life ended in agony. He suffered from a disease described in gruesome detail by Josephus, punctuating the king's final descent into madness with a symbolic closure of poetic justice. He passed, leaving behind a kingdom in turmoil, with a legacy rife with contradictions—a man who constructed wonders and simultaneously perpetrated heinous acts.
Conclusion: A Legacy in Infamy
Herod the Great’s unparalleled duality as a builder and a tyrant continues to spark debate among historians. While his brutality cast a shadow over his architectural legacy, his contributions to the historical landscape of Judea remain undeniable. Despite the infamous nature of his reign, few can argue that no other figure left as profound a mark on the region.