View on Al-Qarn Hill (Sartaba)

A hill that is nowadays called Al-Qarn, meaning “The Horn” in Arabic, can be spotted behind the olive groves of the villages, looking east in the direction of the Jordan Valley. Its name comes from the shape of the mount, which resembles a horn. The ruins of Alexandrium (or Sarbata) can be found at the top of the hill. It is named after Alexander Jannaeus, a Hasmonean king (103 – 76 BC) who probably built the stronghold as both a military garrison and a jail. Later, the fort was restored by Herod the Great. It finally became the burial site of Alexander and Aristobulus, the two sons of Herod, whom he had executed in Sebastiya in 7 BC. The site was destroyed during the first Revolt against Romans (66–73 AD).