He is one of the most reviled and hated men in history. He was the king of the Holy Land during the time of Jesus and is best known for ordering the massacre in Bethlehem of all male children under 2 years old. His name? Herod the Great.

But Herod’s cruel reputation has always hidden another side of one of the Bible’s greatest villains. He was a prolific builder and architectural mastermind of breathtaking proportions. He built new cities, fortresses, palaces, harbours, aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings. His most grandiose creation was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which he wholly rebuilt. Herod built more and larger monuments than virtually anyone in ancient times, perhaps in all time. Herod the Great, also known as Herod I, was the Roman-appointed Jewish king of Judea. He reigned for 33 years between 37 to 4 BC.