Jerusalem, Monday,

THE remains of a 2000-year-old clay wine jug inscribed with the name of King Herod have been discovered, Israeli archaeologists said today, along with some of the first evidence of daily life at his Masada fortress.

The Latin inscription says either ``Herod, King of Judea'' or ``Herod, King of the Jews'', said archaeologist Ehud Netzer of Hebrew University.

Netzer said it was the first time the full title of Herod, who was king of Judea from 37 BC until his death in 4 BC, had been found in an inscription.

The jug, which dates from about 19 BC, was found in an ancient rubbish dump near the synagogue at Masada, along with food, cloth, and basketware.

Masada, a citadel built by Herod on an isolated cliff on the edge of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea Valley, was the last outpost of the zealots during the Jewish revolt against Rome that began in AD 66.

After Roman battering rams breached the fortress gates, the Jews committed suicide rather than fall prisoner.-AP.