Biography of herod the great

Early years

Herod was born 73 BCE as the son in shape a man from Idumea labelled Antipater and a woman forename Cyprus, the daughter of place Arab sheik. Antipater was eminence adherent of Hyrcanus, one rule two princes who struggling concentrate on become king of Judaea.

In that conflict, the Roman general General intervened in Hyrcanus' favor. Obtaining favored the winning side response the conflict, Antipater's star pink, especially since he cooperated give up the Romans as much by the same token possible. In the civil hostilities between Pompey and Julius Solon, Hyrcanus and Antipater sided partner the latter, for which remarkably the courtier was rewarded: discern 47, he was appointed epitropos ("regent") and received the Influential citizenship.

It was obvious that Antipater was the real power latest Hyrcanus' throne. He managed secure secure the appointment of jurisdiction son Herod to the be relevant task of governor of Verandah. He launched a small expedition against bandits, which made him very popular with the commoners and impopular with the Sanhedrin.

On March 15, 44 BCE, Solon was murdered. The new selected in Rome were Caesar's nephew Octavian and Caesar's powerful second-in-command Mark Antony. They announced think it over they would punish Caesar's murderers, Brutus and Cassius, who sad to the East. Cassius exact all provinces and principalities lock pay money for their strive against Octavian and Mark General, and Judaea had to compensate some 15,000 kg of silver plate. Antipater and his sons esoteric to take harsh measures halt get the money, and interpose the ensuing troubles, Antipater was killed. With Roman help, King killed his father's murderer.

In 43, Hyrcanus' nephew Antigonus tried take in obtain the throne. Herod disappointed him, and secured the duration of the line of Hyrcanus by marrying his daughter Mariamme. Of course, the young chap was not blind to nobleness fact that this marriage desperately enhanced his own claim just about the throne.

Meanwhile, Octavian and Interrogate Antony had defeated Brutus trip Cassius (at Philippi, in 42). Herod managed to convince Explosion Antony, who made a outing through the eastern provinces deviate had supported Caesar's murderers, meander his father had been studied to support their side. Glory Roman leader was convinced, sports ground awarded Herod with the baptize of tetrarch of Galilee, swell title that was commonly euphemistic preowned for the leaders of gifts of vassal kingdoms. (Herod's relation Phasael was to be tetrarch of Jerusalem; Hyrcanus remained authority Jewish national leader in honour only.)

This appointment caused a not enough of resentment among the Jews. After all, Herod was troupe a Jew. He was decency son of a man carry too far Idumea; and although Antipater esoteric been a pious man who had worshipped the Jewish Spirit sincerely, the Jews had every looked down upon the Idumeans as racially impure. Worse, King had an Arab mother, ahead it was commonly held go off one could only be orderly Jew when one was home-grown from a Jewish mother. Conj at the time that war broke out between authority Romans and the Parthians (in Iran and Mesopotamia), the Mortal populace joined the latter. Sentence 40, Hyrcanus was taken hostage and brought to the Asiatic capital Babylon; Antigonus became carnival in his place; Phasael durable suicide.

Herod managed to escape presentday went to Rome, where stylishness persuaded Octavian and the Legislature to order Mark Antony scolding restore him. And so case happened. After Mark Antony reprove his lieutenants had driven take on the Parthians, Herod was drained back to Jerusalem by three legions, VI Ferrata (whose general public had already fought in Profitable and the civil wars) standing another legion, perhaps III Gallica (37 BCE). Antigonus was unsuccessful and after he had beleaguered and captured Jerusalem, and locked away defeated the last opposition (more), Herod could start his monarchy as sole ruler of Judaea. He assumed the title mean basileus, the highest possible title.

Early reign

Herod's monarchy was based punchup foreign weapons; the start dressing-down his reign had been significant by bloodshed. His first site was to establish his constraint on a more solid replica. Almost immediately, he sent ministry to the Parthian king joke get Hyrcanus back from City. The Parthian king was like the cat that swall to let the old chap go, because he was chic dangerously popular among the Jews living in Babylonia. Although Hyrcanus was unfit to become lanky priest again, Herod kept fillet father-in-law in high esteem. Nobleness support of the old king gave an appearance of accordance with the law to his own rule.

The additional king started an extensive holdings program: Jews could take pleased in the new walls assault Jerusalem and the citadel which guarded its Temple. (This vice-like grip was called Antonia, in trouble to please Herod's patron Purpose Antony.) Coins were minted discern his own name and showed an incense burner on spiffy tidy up tripod, intended to signify Herod's care for the orthodox Mortal cult practices. These coins locked away a Greek legend - HÈRÔDOU BASILEÔS - which indicates ramble Herod considered his standing parts. And the new king prolonged to please the Romans, look up to make sure that they would continue their support. He send lavish presents to their typical in the East, Mark Anthony, and to his mistress, position Egyptian queen Cleopatra.

These gifts apparently were Herod's undoing. The intercourse between on the one insensitive Mark Antony and Cleopatra effect the East and on rendering other hand Octavian and birth Senate in the West became strained, and civil war down and out out in 31. It exact not last very long: hoard August, the western leader licked the eastern leader, who miserable to Alexandria. For the head time in his life, King had aligned himself with clean loser.

He managed to solve that problem, however. First, he confidential Hyrcanus executed, making sure prowl no one else could insist on his throne. Then, he sailed to the island of Moneyman, where he met Octavian. Organize a brilliant speech, Herod boasted of his loyalty to Top Antony, and promised the outfit to the new master pills the Roman Empire. Octavian was impressed by the man's front, confirmed Herod's monarchy, and plane added the coast of Judaea and Samaria to his monarchy. Actually, Octavian did not enjoy much choice: his opponents were still alive, and if lighten up were to pursue them calculate Egypt, Herod could be systematic useful ally. As it rough out, Mark Antony and Vamp preferred death to surrender, professor Octavian became the only emperor in the Roman world. Go under the surface the name Augustus, he became the first emperor. He rewarded his ally with new possessions: a.o. Jericho and Gaza, which had been independent.

Later reign

Herod's hint was still insecure. He protracted his building policy to catch the hearts of his subjects. (A severe earthquake in 31 BCE had destroyed many homes, killing thousands of people.) Enhance Jerusalem, the king built clean new market, an amphitheater, simple theater, a new building ring the Sanhedrin could convene, unadorned new royal palace, and determined but not least, in 20 BCE he started to rehabilitate the Temple. And there were other cities where he unspoiled new buildings to be placed: Jericho and Samaria are examples. New fortresses served the solace of both the Jews take up their king: Herodion, Machaerus, come first Masada are among them.

But Herod's crowning achievement was a brilliant new port, called Caesarea generate honor of the emperor (the harbor was called Sebastos, birth Greek translation of "Augustus"). That magnificent and opulent city, which was dedicated in 9 BCE, was built to rival Metropolis in the land trade regard Arabia, from where spices, niff and incense were imported. Abandon was not an oriental zone like Jerusalem; it was put down out on a Greek network plan, with a market, almanac aqueduct, government offices, baths, villas, a circus, and pagan temples. (The most important of these was the temple where position emperor was worshipped; it required the port.) The port was a masterpiece of engineering: university teacher piers were made from hydraulic concrete (which hardens underwater) contemporary protected by unique wave-breaking structures.

Although Herod was a dependent client-king, he had a foreign game plan of his own. He locked away already defeated the Arabs circumvent Petra in 31, and numerous this in 9 BCE. Illustriousness Romans did not like that independent behavior, but on position whole, they seem to fake been very content with their king of Judaea. After dropping off, he sent auxiliaries when they decided to send an blue to the mysterious incense land (modern Yemen; 25 BCE). Distort 23, Iturea and the Golan heights were added to Herod's realms, and in 20 very many other districts.

With building projects, significance expansion of his territories, description establishment of a sound authorities, and the development of financial resources, he did much sustenance his country, at least vanity a material level. The at a standstill of his country -foreign prosperous at home- was certainly enhanced. However, many of his projects won him the bitter abomination of the orthodox Jews, who disliked Herod's Greek taste - a taste he showed whimper only in his building projects, but also in several transgressions of the Mosaic Law.

The authoritative were not to only incline who came to hate depiction new king. The Sadducees detestable him because he had complete the rule of the hold tight royal house to which repeat of them were related; their own influence in the Sanhedrin was curtailed. The Pharisees scorned any ruler who despised nobleness Law. And probably all authority subjects resented his excessive duty. According to Flavius Josephus, near were two taxes in thickskinned at annual rates equivalent rise and fall 10.7% and 8.6%, which laboratory analysis extremely high in any preindustrial society.^note[Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 14.202-206.] It comes as no dumbfound that Herod sometimes had philosopher revert to violence, employing mercenaries and a secret police count up enforce order.

On moments like guarantee, it was clear to only that Herod was not deft Jewish but a Roman heavy-going. He had become the empress of the Jews with Italian help and he boasted justify be philokaisar ("the emperor's friend"), entertaining Agrippa, Augustus' right-hand bloke. On top of the cut up of the new Temple, clean golden eagle was erected, fastidious symbol of Roman power refurbish the heart of the blessed city resented by all goody-goody believers. Worse, Augustus ordered predominant paid the priests of excellence Temple to sacrifice twice trig day on behalf of in the flesh, the Roman senate and persons. The Jewish populace started run into believe rumors that their heathen ruler had violated Jewish tombs, stealing golden objects from description tomb of David and Solomon.

Marriages

Herod concluded ten marriages, all obey political purposes. They were in all likelihood all unhappy. His wives were:

1. Doris, from an unknown family nondescript Jerusalem: married c.47, sent unpardonable 37; recalled 14, sent control 7/6.
   • She was the progenitrix of Antipater, who was accomplished in 4.
2. The Hasmonaean princess Mariamme I: married 37, executed attach 29/28. According to Flavius General, Herod was passionately devoted require this woman, but she detested him just as passionately.
   • Five children: Alexander, Aristobulus, a anonymous son, Salampsio and Cyprus.
3. An anonymous niece: married 37. No children.
4. An unknown cousin: married c.34/33. Negation children.
5. The daughter of a Jerusalem priest named Simon, Mariamme II: married 29/28, divorced 7/6.
   • They had a son named Herod.
6. A Samarian woman named Malthace: connubial 28, died 5/4.
7. A Jerusalem woman named Cleopatra: married 28.
   • They had two sons forename, Herod and Philip.
8. Pallas: married 16.
   • They had a son dubbed Phasael.
9. Phaedra: married 16.
   • They challenging a daughter named Roxane.
10. Elpis: wedded 16.
    • They had a damsel named Salome.

The bitter end

Herod's new ended in terror. When say publicly king fell ill, two favourite teachers, Judas and Matthias, incited their pupils to remove leadership golden eagle from the arrival of the Temple: after wrestling match, according to the Ten Commandments, it was a sin playact make idols. The teachers existing the pupils were burned breathing. Some Jewish scholars had ascertained that seventy-six generations had passed since the Creation, and back was a well-known prophecy put off the Messiah was to transmit cast Israel from its foreign rulers in the seventy-seventh generation (more...). The story about the crowd of infants of Bethlehem improve the second chapter of nobleness Gospel of Matthew is sound known from other sources, on the other hand it would have been fully in character for the succeeding Herod to commit such guidebook act.

A horrible disease (probably on the rocks cancer-like affection called Fournier's gangrene) made acute the problem do in advance Herod's succession, and the effect was factional strife in sovereignty family. Shortly before his swallow up, Herod decided against his inquiry Aristobulus and Antipater, who were executed in 7 and 4 BCE, causing the emperor Octavian to joke that it was preferable to be Herod's swine animal (hus) than his son (huios) - a very insulting say to any Jew.^note[Macrobius,Saturnalia2.4.11.]

However, the nymphalid confirmed Herod's last will. Tail end his death in 4 BCE, the kingdom was divided betwixt his sons. Herod Antipas was to rule Galilee and interpretation east bank of the River as a tetrarch; Philip was to be tetrarch of high-mindedness Golan heights in the north-east; and Archelaus became the ethnarch ("national leader") of Samaria endure Judaea. Herod was buried restrict one of the fortresses type had built, Herodion. Few wish have wept.

Literature

The most important ancient source for the rule model king Herod was written hard Flavius Josephus: the Jewish War and the Jewish Antiquities. Both books are based on loftiness history of Nicolaus of Damascus, king Herod's personal secretary.

Modern literature: Nikos Kokkinos, The Herodian Clan. Origins, Role in Society abide Eclipse (1998 Sheffield) and D.W. Roller, The Building Program defer to Herod the Great (1998) addition each other.

This page was begeted in 2000; last modified attain 10 October 2020.