Baaras

Baaras

( Βαάρας ), the name (according to Josephus, War, 7, 6, 3) of a valley inclosing the city of Herodium on the north, and so called from an extraordinary species of plant (but whether the same with the gigantic Rue, Πήγανον , mentioned in the same connection, does not appear), to the root of which the credulous Jewish historian ascribes magical properties of a most marvelous character. (See Herodium). For other faint notices of a locality by names similar to Baaris, in the vicinity of Machaerus, see Reland, Palest. p. 881.