Where did King Herod the Great find all the money to finance all his great building projects?

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When I read the history about this they all talk about how great he was in building. But where does he find all the money from?
 
Did the Hasmonean kings before him use heavy taxation? Did Herod tax more than them? Or was he more efficient?
 
I honestly don’t know. Hasmonean definitely rings a bell. I don’t know any further details, I’m afraid, it’s just some vague details that I remember :confused: Could it be that forced labour was still in use? I know the Jews used to do that with those they’d conquered …probably not, though, as the Romans were ruling by then.
 
I think I may have found part of the answer. He was an able ruler and was able to make Judea prosperous. My next question is how did he do that?
I suspect it’s probably trade and Caesarea at the coast must have played a key role.
Happy for anyone to correct/provide more thoughts.
 
well, let’s see…rocks are cheap…no copper plumbing needed…no electrical wiring…no central heating or central air…booooooooth hands in every pocket…no inspectors around every corner…no licenses or permits required…and ver skilled and nearly free labor. The dream of every modern builder or engineer.
 
The Temple Mount was originally a slope. Herod has to build a big platform. He was quite clever in cutting away the hill part and use it to fill the lower part.
You still need lots of labour, cutting stones. Moving heavy objects. Build aqueducts and a palace to Masada which is in the middle of nowhere. I don’t know whether he bought timber from Lebanon like Solomon did. He would have had to hire carpenters like Joseph, stone cutters etc etc. all comes at a cost.
If it is so cheap why didn’t the previous kings build such projects?
 
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ratio1 said:
But where does he find all the money from?
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The state asserted its rights mainly through levying taxes. Under Herod the Great these were ruthlessly exacted, and he was always thinking out fresh ways of subsidizing his vast expenditure: “As his expenses were beyond his abilities, he was compelled to be harsh to his subjects” (Ant. 16.154). Herod, it is true, followed a cultural and political course which enhanced the economic power of the country. He increased security in the land by means of strongholds and settelments; he extended the civilized areas by colonization; he promoted the commercial life of the country by founding cities and building harbors, by encouraging trade and commerce, especially by the building of the Temple.

These are the opening lines of the two-page section titled Taxation in Joachim Jeremias’ classic survey, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. The abbreviation Ant. refers to Josephus’ Antiquities.

 
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Taxation, duties, taking the profits from various industries.
 
But are there evidence of civil unrest due to people being unhappy with Herod? And were taxation levels harsher than the previous Hasmonean kings?
I find it hard to believe that taxes were harsh with no consequences.

But yes thanks for the book link. Looks very interesting and I might get my answer there.
 
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