Regarding the temple that Herod built on the same site, Josephus wrote: It was “covered on all sides with massive plates of gold, the sun was no sooner up than it radiated so fiery a flash that persons straining to look at it were compelled to avert their eyes, as from the solar rays.
Për tempullin që ndërtoi Herodi në të njëjtin truall, Jozef Flavi shkroi se ishte « i mbuluar nga çdo anë me pllaka ari masive dhe sapo dilte dielli, flakërinte aq shumë, sa njerëzit që përpiqeshin ta shikonin, detyroheshin t’i hiqnin sytë, sikur t’ua vritnin rrezet e diellit.