The first-century Jewish Roman historian Josephius identified the impressive site of Macarius (modern-day known as Macauer) as the fortress of Herod Antipas, the Roman-appointed provincial governor at the time of Christ. In this fortified hilltop fortress overlooking the fortified area of the Dead Sea and the distant hills of Palestine, Herod imprisoned John the Baptist and cut off his crown (Matthew 14:3-11).
This fortress was built by Alexander Janius around 90 BC, and became an impenetrable fortress to repel the invasions of the Nabateans. Alexander Janius is a descendant of the Hasmoneans, known in the Bible as the Maccabees. His brother Aristobulus regained many of the cities and lands that belonged to Israel in a number of conquests and wars. He occupied the shores of the Mediterranean Sea from Haifa and Carmel to Gaza and southern Palestine to the border with Egypt.
The site of the castle overlooks everything around it. You can see the two castles built by Herod the Great: the first on Mount Veridis - to the south of Bethlehem, and the second on Mount Alexandria, located to the north of Jericho.
Machaerus Castle became a center for the resistance of the Hasmoneans from Roman rule. The Romans seized it in 57 BC and destroyed it. However, Herod the Great had it rebuilt to be a fortified castle and a palace for rest and recreation. Herod imprisoned John the Baptist in this castle, according to the historian Josephus.
The Department of Antiquities conducted partial excavations in the Byzantine Church at the beginning of the road that leads to the castle. The pretext of the mosaic gift was found in it, which was damaged, and the rest of the writing shows that this mosaic piece dates back to the year 602-603 AD, and there are traces of two other churches.
The Franciscans, in conjunction with the Department of Antiquities, carried out excavations and excavations in the Machaerus Castle. The oldest mosaic piece was found in Jordan, and it dates back to the late first century BC, that is, to the date the castle was built.
On clear nights, the lights of Jerusalem and Jericho can easily be seen, and because this location is far from urban areas, its tranquility transports the visitor to the atmosphere of biblical times. In fact, the shepherds still find shelter for themselves and their flocks in the caves and grottoes scattered in abundance around Machaerus. If one descends to Machaerus towards the Dead Sea, one feels that he is standing on top of the universe.