Dance floor where John the Baptist was condemned to death discovered

[C C]

https://www.livescience.com/dance-floor-...ution.html

EXCERPT: Archaeologists claim that they have identified the deadly dance floor where John the Baptist [...] was sentenced to death around A.D. 29. The Bible and the ancient writer Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37-100) both describe how King Herod Antipas, a son of King Herod, had John the Baptist executed. Josephus specified that the execution took place at Machaerus, a fort near the Dead Sea in modern-day Jordan.

Herod Antipas feared the growing influence of John the Baptist among the population and so he executed him Josephus wrote. The Bible, on the other hand, tells a far more elaborate tale, claiming that Herod Antipas had John the Baptist executed in exchange for a dance. The Biblical story claims that Herod Antipas was set to marry a woman named Herodias, both of whom had been divorced — something that John the Baptist objected to.

At Herod Antipas' birthday party, Herodias' daughter, named Salome, performed a dance that so delighted Herod Antipas that the king promised her anything she wanted as a reward. Salome, goaded on by Herodias, asked for the head of John the Baptist. Herod Antipas was reluctant to grant the request, according to the Bible, but he ultimately decided to fulfill it and had John the Baptist's head brought to Salome on a platter.

A courtyard uncovered at Machaerus is likely the place where Salome's dance was performed and where Herod Antipas decided to have John the Baptist beheaded, wrote Győző Vörös [...] The courtyard, Vörös said, has an apsidal-shaped niche that is probably the remains of the throne where Herod Antipas sat... (MORE - details, images)

[Zinjanthropos]

History is full of headshots from beheading to scalping or even keeping a lock of hair. Possibly humanity’s first real trophy of any kind. Put it up there on a pointy stick so every knows you’re a winner.

When someone of power said ‘bring me their head’ it meant it could also be used as something of value/reward, like currency or a prize. The worth of our noggin was not lost among the ancients. At least scientifically they figured out what runs the ship.