From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus

up the remaining space with the most costly palaces round about, insomuch
that not only the sight of the inner apartments was splendid, but great wealth
was laid out on the outward walls, and partitions, and roofs also. Besides
this, he brought a mighty quantity of water from a great distance, and at vast
charges, and raised an ascent to it of two hundred steps of the whitest marble,
for the hill was itself moderately high, and entirely factitious. He also built
other palaces about the roots of the hill, sufficient to receive the furniture that
was put into them, with his friends also, insomuch that, on account of its
containing all necessaries, the fortress might seem to be a city, but, by the
bounds it had, a palace only.
11. And when he had built so much, he showed the greatness of his soul
to no small number of foreign cities. He built palaces for exercise at Tripoli,
and Damascus, and Ptolemais; he built a wall about Byblus, as also large
rooms, and cloisters, and temples, and market-places at Berytus and Tyre,
with theatres at Sidon and Damascus. He also built aqueducts for those
Laodiceans who lived by the sea-side; and for those of Ascalon he built baths
and costly fountains, as also cloisters round a court, that were admirable both
for their workmanship and largeness. Moreover, he dedicated groves and
meadows to some people; nay, not a few cities there were who had lands of
his donation, as if they were parts of his own kingdom. He also bestowed
annual revenues, and those for ever also, on the settlements for exercises,
and appointed for them, as well as for the people of Cos, that such rewards
should never be wanting. He also gave corn to all such as wanted it, and
conferred upon Rhodes large sums of money for building ships; and this he
did in many places, and frequently also. And when Apollo's temple had been
burnt down, he rebuilt it at his own charges, after a better manner than it was
before. What need I speak of the presents he made to the Lycians and
Samnians? or of his great liberality through all Ionia? and that according to
every body's wants of them. And are not the Athenians, and Lacedemonians,
and Nicopolitans, and that Pergamus which is in Mysia, full of donations that
Herod presented them withal? And as for that large open place belonging to
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