(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.