Ma'aleh Romaim Stronghold Overview

The Ma’aleh Romaim Stronghold of the Roman period was built just east of the Roman road that connected Jerusalem and Emmaus. It’s function was, apparently, to guard this road. Two other sides are known to be connected to this road: one in Kiryat Ye'arim and the other in "Castellum". The ground floor and the openings between the halls of this floor have been preserved. A set of stairs leads to the second floor which was paved with stones and covered with arches. The remains of the side were covered with a thick layer of dirt and were presumably out of use due to a fire that destroyed it. In the fourth century CE, with the establishment of Byzantine rule in the country, the site was incorporated into a large building, from which five rooms were excavated. Part of the building served as a mosaic workshop. Later the building served as a lime quarrying facility. Today the site lies in the grounds of the Herzog Medical Center in Jerusalem. http://www.herzoghospital.org