Herod the Great

Herod (Hebrew: הוֹרְדוֹס Hordus, Greek: ἡρῴδης), also known as Herod I or Herod the Great, was a Roman client king of Judaea (ca. 74 BC – ca. 4 BC in Jerusalem). The details of his biography can best be gleaned from the works of the 1st century AD Jewish historian Josephus. Herod is well-known for his role in the events known as the Massacre of the Innocents, an account of which is given in Chapter 2 of the Gospel According to Matthew. Herod is particularly known for his dramatic expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem which is sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple.

Model of Herod's Temple (Israel Museum)

Biography

Copper coin of Herod, bearing the legend "Basileus Herodon" on the obverse and a Macedonian sun-symbol on the reverse.

Herod the Great was born 73 BC as the second son of Antipater the Idumaean, a high ranked official under Ethnarch Hyrcanus II, and Cypros, a Sheikhah from Petra in Nabatea (now part of Jordan). Due to his position as the real brains behind Hyrcanus II, Antipater appointed Herod governor of Galilee at 25, and his older brother, Phasael, governor of Jerusalem. Herod soon launched a small but successful crusade against bandits, which won him favor from the general population but he became unpopular with the Sanhedrin.

In 43 BC, following the chaos caused by Antipater offering financial support to Caesar's murderers, Antipater was poisoned. Herod, backed by the Roman Army, executed his father's murderer. Afterwards, Antigonus, Hyrcanus' nephew, tried to take the throne from his uncle. Herod defeated him and then married his teenage sister, Mariamne (known as Mariamne I), which helped to secure him a claim to the throne and gain some Jewish favor. However, Herod already had a wife, Doris, and a three year old son, Antipater. Herod's Jewish beliefs caused him to banish Doris and her child, even though he could have legally kept two wives.

In 42 BC, he convinced Mark Antony and Octavian that his father had been forced to help Caesar's murderers. Herod was then named tetrarch of Galilee by the Romans. However, many of the Jews were very upset by this since most Jews did not consider Herod to be a true Jew. The Idumaean family, successors to the Edomites of the Hebrew Bible, settled in Idumea, formerly known as Edom, in southern Judea. When the Maccabean John Hyrcanus conquered Idumea in 140–130 BC, he required all Idumaeans to obey Jewish law or to leave; most Idumaeans thus converted to Judaism. So, King Herod identified himself as a Jew and was considered as such by his contemporaries. This religious self-identification notwithstanding, the Herodians were to a large extent Hellenistic in culture, which would have earned them the antipathy of observant Jews. Also, the Jews considered Judaism to be passed down through the mother, and Herod's mother was Arabian.

In 40 BC Antigonus tried to take the throne again with the Parthians, this time succeeding. He bit off Hyrcanus' ears and sent him off to Babalonia in chains. Herod fled to Rome to plead with the Romans to restore him to power. There he was elected "King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate In 37 BC the Romans fully secured Judea and executed Antigonus. Herod took the role as sole ruler of Judea and took the title of basileus for himself, ushering in the Herodian Dynasty and ending the Hasmonean Dynasty. He ruled for 34 years.

Achievements

Herod's most famous and ambitious project was the expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

In the eighteenth year (20-19 B.C.) of his reign, Herod rebuilt the Temple on "a more magnificent scale". The new Temple was finished in a year and a half, although work on out-buildings and courts continued another eighty years. To comply with religious law, Herod employed 1,000 priests as masons and carpenters in the rebuilding. The finished temple, which was destroyed in 70 AD, is often referred to as Herod's Temple.

Some of Herod's other achievements include: the rebuilding of the water supplies for Jerusalem, rebuilding the Palace in Jerusalem, refurbishing the boundary fortresses such as Masada, and creating new cities such as Caesarea Maritima and Herodion. He also had a fortress built called the Herodium. From the extraction of asphalt from the Dead Sea, he shared with Cleopatra the monopoly on its important use in ship building. He leased copper mines on Cyprus from the Roman emperor. He had a dominant position in the production of bronze, using British tin.

Herod in the New Testament

Main article: Massacre of the Innocents

Herod the Great appears in The Gospel according to Matthew (ch. 2), which describes an event known as the Massacre of the Innocents.

Shortly after the birth of Jesus, Magi from the East visited Herod to inquire the whereabouts of "the one having been born king of the Jews", because they had seen his star in the east and therefore wanted to pay him homage. Herod, who was himself King of Judea, was alarmed at the prospect of the new-born king usurping his rule.

In the story, Herod was advised by the assembled chief priests and scribes of the people that the Prophet had written that the "Anointed One" (Greek: ho christos) was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod therefore sent the Magi to Bethlehem, instructing them to search for the child, and that, when they found him, to "report to me, so that I too may go and worship him". However, after they found Jesus, the Magi were warned in a dream not to report back to Herod. Similarly, Joseph was warned in a dream that Herod intended to kill Jesus, so he and his family fled to Egypt. When Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Magi, he gave orders to kill all boys of the age of two years and under in Bethlehem and its vicinity. Joseph and his family stayed in Egypt until Herod's death, then moved to Nazareth in Galilee in order to avoid living under Herod's son Archelaus.

The historical accuracy of this event has been questioned, since no other document from the period makes any reference to such a massacre. However, Bethlehem was a small rural town, and the number of children actually killed may have been as few as five or six.

Herod's son, Herod Antipas is even more prominently featured in the New Testament for his role in John the Baptist's arrest and execution.

Death

Coin of Herod the Great, bearing a Roman-style helmet

The scholarly consensus, based on Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews is that Herod died at the end of March, or early April, 4 BC. Josephus wrote that Herod died 37 years after being named as King by the Romans, and 34 years after the death of Antigonus. This would imply that he died in 4 BC. This is confirmed by the fact that his three sons, between whom his kingdom was divided, dated their rule from 4 BC. For instance, he states that Herod Philip I's death took place, after a 37-year reign, in the 20th year of Tiberius, which would imply that he took over on Herod's death in 4 BC. In addition, Josephus wrote that Herod died after a lunar eclipse, and a partial eclipse took place in 4 BC.

Because of apparent inconsistencies in the method Josephus counted years, it has sometimes been suggested that 5 BC might be a more likely date - there were two total eclipses in that year.. The next lunar eclipse did not take place until 1 BC, however, and Herod's sons had already been ruling for three years by then.

Josephus wrote that Herod's final illness was excruciating (Ant. 17.6.5). From Josephus' descriptions, some medical experts propose that Herod had chronic kidney disease complicated by Fournier's gangrene.

After Herod's death

After Herod's death, his kingdom was divided between three of his sons, namely Archelaus, Herod Antipas, and Herod Philip I, who ruled as tetrarchs rather than kings.

Aerial photo of Herodium from the south west

The location of Herod's tomb is documented by Roman historian Flavius Josephus, he writes:

"And the body was carried two hundred furlongs, to Herodium, where he had given order to be buried."

Flavius Josephus provides more clues about Herod's tomb which he calls Herod's monuments: "So they threw down all the hedges and walls which the inhabitants had made about their gardens and groves of trees, and cut down all the fruit trees that lay between them and the wall of the city, and filled up all the hollow places and the chasms, and demolished the rocky precipices with iron instruments; and thereby made all the place level from Scopus to Herod's monuments, which adjoined to the pool called the Serpent's Pool."

Ehud Netzer, an archaeologist from Hebrew University, read the writings of Josephus and focused his search on the vicinity of the pool and its surroundings at the Winter Palace of Herod in the Judean desert - a part of the West Bank occupied by Israel. An article of the New York Times states:

"Lower Herodium consists of the remains of a large palace, a race track, service quarters, and a monumental building whose function is still a mystery. Perhaps, says Ehud Netzer, who excavated the site, it is Herod's mausoleum. Next to it is a pool, almost twice as large as modern Olympic-size pools."

It took 35 years for Netzer to identify the exact location but on May 7, 2007, an Israeli team of archaeologists of the Hebrew University led by Netzer, announced they had discovered the tomb. The site is located at the exact location given by Flavius Josephus, atop of tunnels and water pools, at a flattened desert site, halfway up the hill to Herodium, 12 kilometers south of Jerusalem.

Chronology

30s BC

The taking of Jerusalem by Herod the Great, 36 BC, by Jean Fouquet, late 15th century.

• 39 BC–37 BC — War against Antigonus. After the conquest of Jerusalem and victory over Antigonus, Mark Antony executes Antigonus.

• 36 BC — Herod makes his 17-year-old brother-in-law, Aristobulus III of Judea, high priest, fearing that the Jews would appoint Aristobulus "king of the Jews" in his place.

• 35 BC — Aristobulus drowns at a party.

• 32 BC — The war against Nabatea begins, with victory one year later.

• 31 BC — Judea suffers a devastating earthquake. Octavian defeats Mark Antony, so Herod switches allegiance to Octavian, later known as Augustus.

• 30 BC — Herod is shown great favour by Octavian, who at Rhodes confirms him as King of Judaea.

20s BC

• 29 BC — Josephus writes that Herod had great passion and also great jealousy concerning his wife, Mariamne I. She learns of Herod's plans to murder her, and stops sleeping with him. Herod puts her on trial on a charge of adultery. His sister, Salome I, was chief witness against her. Mariamne I's mother Alexandra made an appearance and incriminated her own daughter. Historians say her mother was next on Herod's list to be executed and did this only to save her own life. Mariamne was executed, and Alexandra declared herself Queen, stating that Herod was mentally unfit to serve. Josephus wrote that this was Alexandra's strategic mistake; Herod executed her without trial.

• 28 BC — Herod executed his brother-in-law Kostobar (husband of Salome, father to Berenice) for conspiracy. Large festival in Jerusalem, as Herod had built a Theatre and an Amphitheatre.

• 27 BC — An assassination attempt on Herod was foiled. To honour Augustus, Herod rebuilt Samaria and renamed it Sebaste.

• 25 BC — Herod imported grain from Egypt and started an aid programme to combat the widespread hunger and disease that followed a massive drought. He also waives a third of the taxes.

• 23 BC — Herod built a palace in Jerusalem and the fortress Herodian in Judaea. He married his third wife, Mariamne II, the daughter of high priest Simon.

• 22 BC — Herods began construction on Caesarea Maritima and its harbour. From the Romans, he brought the regions Trachonitis, Batanaea and Auranitis under his rule.

• Circa 20 BC — Expansion started on the Second Temple. (See Herod's Temple)

10s BC

• Circa 18 BC — Herod traveled for the second time to Rome.

• 14 BC — Herod supported the Jews in Anatolia and Cyrene. Owing to the prosperity in Judaea he waived a quarter of the taxes.

• 13 BC — Herod made his first-born son Antipater (his son with Doris) first heir in his will.

• 12 BC — Herod suspected both his sons (from his marriage to Mariamne I) Alexandros and Aristobulos of threatening his life. He took them to Aquileia to be tried. Augustus reconciled the three. Herod supported the financially strapped Olympic Games and ensured their future. Herod amended his will so that Alexander and Aristobulos rose in the royal succession, but Antipater would be higher in the succession.

• Circa 10 BC — The newly expanded temple in Jerusalem was inaugurated. War against the Nabateans began.

0s BC

• 9 BC — Caesarea Maritima was inaugurated. Owing to the course of the war against the Nabateans, Herod fell into disgrace with Augustus. Herod again suspected Alexander of plotting to kill him.

• 8 BC — Herod accused his sons from Mariamne I of high treason. Herod reconciled with Augustus, which also gave him the permission to proceed legally against his sons.

• 7 BC — The court hearing took place in Berytos (Beirut) before a Roman court. Mariamne I's sons were found guilty and executed. The succession changed so that Antipater was the exclusive successor to the throne. In second place the succession incorporated Herod Philip, the son from Mariamne II.

• 6 BC — Herod proceeded against the Pharisees, who had announced that the birth of the Messiah would mean the end of his rule. (Biblical conjecture)

• 5 BC — Antipater was brought before the court charged with the intended murder of Herod. Herod, by now seriously ill, named his son Herod Antipas (from his fourth marriage with Malthace) as his successor.

• 4 BC — Young Torah students smashed the golden eagle over the main entrance of the Temple of Jerusalem after the Pharisee teachers claimed it is a Roman symbol. Herod arrested them, brought them to court, and sentenced them. Augustus approved the death penalty for Antipater. Herod then executed his son, and again changed his will: Archelaus (from the marriage with Malthace) would rule as king over Herod's entire kingdom, while Antipas (from Malthace) and Philip (from the fifth marriage with Cleopatra of Jerusalem) as Tetrarchs over Galilee and Peraea, also over Gaulanitis (Golan), Trachonitis (Hebrew: Argob), Batanaea (now Ard-el-Bathanyeh) and Panias. As Augustus did not confirm his will, no one got the title of King; however, the three sons did get the stated territories.

Marriages and children

Herod's marriages and children

Wife	Children
Doris	Son Antipater III, executed 4 BC
Mariamne I, daughter of Hasmonean Alexandros	Son Alexandros, executed 7 BC Son Aristobulus IV, executed 7 BC Daughter Salampsio Daughter Cypros
Mariamne II, daughter of High-Priest Simon	Son Herod II Boethus, assassinated 6 AD Son Herod Philip I
Malthace	Son Herod Archelaus - Ethnarch Son Herod Antipas - Tetrarch Daughter Olympias
Cleopatra of Jerusalem	Son Herod Philip II - Tetrarch Son Herod
Pallas	Son Phasael
Phaidra	Daughter Roxane
Elpis	Daughter Salome bat Herod I
A cousin (name unknown)	no known children
A niece (name unknown)	no known children

It is very probable that Herod had more children, especially with the last wives, and also that he had more daughters, as girl births among Romans at that time were often not recorded.

Herod's family trees

Marriages and descendants

Herod the Great + Doris
                |
            Antipater
             d. 4 BC?

Herod the Great + Mariamne I, d. 29 BC?, dt. of Alexandros.
                |
       —————————————————————————————————————————————
      |          |          |                       |
 Aristobulus   Alexander   Salampsio + Phasael     Cypros
  d 7 BC?     d 7 BC?                |             m. Antipater(2)
 m. Berenice                       Cypros
      |
     ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
    |                |              |                |               |
Mariamne III      Herod III      Herodias     Herod Agrippa    Aristobulus V
m. her uncle   King of Chalcis      +         King of Judea
   Archelaus ?          m. 1. Herod II Boethus               
                                her uncle
                           2. Herod Philip I
                                her uncle
                           3. Herod Antipas
                                her uncle

Herod the Great + Mariamne II, dt. of Simon the High-Priest.
                |
       —————————————————
      |                 |
   Herod II      Herod Philip I
   Boethus

Herod the Great + Malthace (a Samaritan)
                |
    ————————————————————————————————————————————————
   |                                   |            |
 Herod Antipas                     Archelaus    Olympias
   b. 20 BC?
   + Phasaelis,
   dt. of Aretas IV, king of Arabia
 "divorced" to marry:
   + Herodias,
   dt. of Aristobulus (son of Herod the Great)

Herod the Great + Cleopatra of Jerusalem
                |
       Philip the Tetrarch
             d. AD 34

Notes.

• Antipater(2) was the son of Joseph and Salome
• Dates with ? need verifying against modern findings

Ancestors

Antipater the Idumaean + Cypros, Arab princess from Petra, Jordan in Nabatea.
                       |
    —————————————————————————————————————————————
   |              |            |        |        |
Phasael    Herod the Great  Joseph  Pheroras  Salome I
          (74 BC-4 BC)

Legend

Sign & Meaning
+ = married
| = descended from
../——— = sibling
dt. = daughter
b. = born
d. = died
m. = was married to
? = not included here or unknown

Alexandros + Alexandra
           |
      ———————————————————————————————————
     |                                   |
Aristobulus III of Judea            Mariamne, dt.
(d. 35 BC)                          m. Herod the Great
(last Hasmonean scion;
appointed high priest; drowned)

Further reading

• Duane W. Roller, The Building Program of Herod the Great
• Robert Gree, Herod the Great
• Michael Grant, Herod the Great
• King Herod: A Persecuted Persecutor: A Case Study in Psychohistory and Psychobiography

by Aryeh Kasher, in collaboration with Eliezer Witztum, translated from the Hebrew by Karen Gold, Walter de Gruyter

External links

• Resources > Second Temple and Talmudic Era > Herod and the Herodian Dynasty The Jewish History Resource Center - Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Tomb Found
• Halachic Status of Herod
• Herod's Tomb -images

• BBC Manchester/Discovery channel production broadcast 2004 March 14
• Family trees
• extract Britanicca Vol 5 page 879
• Encylopedia.com
• Outline of Great Books Volume I - King Herod: extracts from the works of Josephus
• Timeline 49 to 1 BC
• Herod surnamed the Great in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Herod I
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Herod
• The Horrors of Herod
• Benny Ziffer: In the enlightened world it's called robbery
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