HERODIAN ENTERTAINMENT STRUCTURES

Joseph Patrich

Abstract

Entertainment structures constituted a signifi cant part of the Herodian building projects in Herod’s kingdom and beyond, serving his internal and external political interests. They were an important means for disseminating Greco-Roman culture, and enhancing Herod’s reputation as patron of arts and agonistics. According to Josephus, theatres were built in Jerusalem, Jericho, Caesarea, Sidon and Damascus; amphithe- atres/hippodromes in Jerusalem, Jericho, and Caesarea. Gymnasia were constructed only outside his realm, in Tripolis, Damascus and Ptolemais, and in Cos he set a yearly endowment for the gymnasiarch. In year 12 BCE, as a reward for his munifi cence in providing funds for the Olympic Games, Herod was awarded the title of perpetual president (agônothetês) of the games. In the private sphere his palaces were provided with swimming pools ( Jericho, Hyrcania, Masada), and sailing pools ( Jericho, Herodium). The remains of Herodian theatres and amphitheatres are examined here. Those at Caesarea (both inaugurated in year 10 BCE) still survive. Other extant structures, like the stadium at Samaria/Sebaste, or the Herodium course, not mentioned by Josephus, are attributed to him by archaeologists. The theatre of Caesarea, stone-built, was of the Roman type; that built earlier in Jerusalem (before 28 BCE), is believed to have been a wooden structure, following the practice prevalent at Rome at that time. Herod’s stone-built “amphitheatre” at Caesarea was a multi-purpose entertainment stadium. It was provided with starting-gates (carceres) to accommodate chariot races (hippika), in addition to the regular athletics ( gymnika). Hence the term hippo-stadium has been coined to designate this type of stadium. Roman spectacles—gladiatorial combats (munera), and chasing of wild beasts (venationes) took there place as well. This stadium of Caesarea, with stone cavea and sphendone, represents the culminating stage in the evolution of Herodian stadia, from a simple rectangular arena surrounded all around by porticos in Samaria/Sebaste, through that of Jericho—with three porticos and an earthen sphendone supporting wooden seats on one of the narrow sides. The starting- gates of the hippo-stadium of Caesarea, set parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arena, suggest races on the Olympic style, prevalent in the Hellenistic world, rather than of the Roman style, à la Circus Maximus. Races of the Roman style were introduced to Caesarea only early in the 2nd century CE. The sources of architectural inspiration on the Herodian entertainment structures in the Hellenistic and Roman world, and their role in the later evolution of the theatre and hippo-stadium in our region are also discussed.

Josephus concludes the description of the dedication feast of Caesarea, held in Herod’s palace and in the adjacent entertainment structures, with the following sentence: 182 joseph patrich

And they say that Caesar himself and Agrippa often remarked that the extent of Herod’s realm was not equal to his magnanimity (megalopsychia), for he deserved to be king of all Syria and of Egypt.1 So immense was the impression that these structures had left.2 And indeed, entertainment structures for games and spectacles constituted a signifi cant part of the Herodian building projects in his kingdom and beyond, serving his internal and external political interests. It was an important move to introduce and disseminate Graeco-Roman culture, and enhance his reputation as patron of arts and agones. There were few entertainment structures in the Hellenistic Near East prior to Herod. The most famous was the hippodrome of Alex- andria—the Lageion, built by Ptolemy Lagus.3 As for Antioch, an arena for chariot racing on the Greek style probably existed at Daphne from at least the late third century BCE, but not in Antioch proper, where there is no evidence for a hippodrome under the Seleucids. The fi rst hippodrome there comprising built elements, probably on the model of the contemporary Circus Maximus, seems to be that donated by Quintius Marcius Rex, proconsul of Cilicia in 67 BCE.4 A hippodrome existed outside the city wall of Damascus in the early fi rst century BCE.5 It is also worth mentioning that the LXX uses the term hippodromos in referring to the burial place of Rachel near Ephrata in Gen. 48:7 (and see also Gen. 35:19). It is quite possible that during the Hellenistic period there existed in this fl at area on top of the Judaean ridge, far from Jerusalem and to the south, a simple Hellenistic-type race course, with no architectural features.6

1 Ant. 16.141. 2 As a matter of fact, by that time Agrippa was already dead. He died on March 12 BCE. But the remarks to Herod’s magnanimity are general and must have been made on various occasions including when Herod was in Rome in 13/12 BC where he showed megalopsychia. M. Agrippa had seen Caesarea already in 15 BCE (Philo Leg. 297; Jos., Ant. 16.13). 3 See: J. H. Humphrey, Roman Circuses: Arenas for Chariot Racing, London 1985, pp. 505–513. 4 Humphrey, op. cit., pp. 456–458. 5 Ant. 13.389. 6 It seems that this toponym prevailed down to the Late Roman period. Eusebius and Jerome mention this under the entry Ephratha, specifying a distance of 4 miles from Jerusalem to the hippodrome (Eusebius), the site of Rachel’s tomb. Jerome indicates that the word hippodromos was given by the LXX, and amends the distance from Jerusalem to the tomb to be 5 miles. See E. Klostermann (ed.), Eusebius. Das Onomastikon der biblischen Ortsnamen, Leipzig 1904, repr. Hildesheim 1966, 82:13–14; 83:15; Freeman-Grenville et al. 2003, 49. See also Humphrey, ibid. p. 530, with reference to the Test. XII Patriarcharum, Joseph 20, 3 (ed. M. De Yonge), Leiden 1964; M. De Yonge, The Testament