Illustration
As part of Herod the Great's building program, as they stood atop the free-standing edifices at the entrance to Herod's Harbor, Josephus mentions three colossi on the left and three on the right. (Wars, 1.21.6) Likely bronze images of Caesar, Juno, and Neptune, their towering height was meant to impress all those entering, conveying the power of Rome.
Using archaeological reports by Avner Raban, John Oleson, Robert Hohlfelder, and others, along with comparative analysis of known Roman construction techniques, Josephus' eyewitness descriptions, and Herodian fortification work at Jerusalem and Masada, the image you see is part of the collaborative creation of Lithodomos and Patrick Scott Smith.
About the Author
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Cite This Work
APA Style
A., P. S. S. M. (2025, July 11). Colossi at the Entrance to Herod's Harbor. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20641/colossi-at-the-entrance-to-herods-harbor/
Chicago Style
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Colossi at the Entrance to Herod's Harbor." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified July 11, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20641/colossi-at-the-entrance-to-herods-harbor/.
MLA Style
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Colossi at the Entrance to Herod's Harbor." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 11 Jul 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20641/colossi-at-the-entrance-to-herods-harbor/. Web. 11 Jul 2025.
