Herodian dynasty

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Coin of Herod the Great Herod coin.jpg
Coin of Herod the Great

The Herodian dynasty was a royal dynasty of Idumaean (Edomite) descent, ruling the Herodian Kingdom of Judea and later the Herodian Tetrarchy as a vassal state of the Roman Empire. The Herodian dynasty began with Herod the Great, who assumed the throne of Judea, with Roman support, bringing down the century-old Hasmonean Kingdom. His kingdom lasted until his death in 4 BCE, when it was divided among his sons as a tetrarchy, which lasted for about 10 years. Most of those tetrarchies, including Judea proper, were incorporated into Judaea Province from 6 CE, though limited Herodian de facto kingship continued until Agrippa I's death in 44 CE and nominal title of kingship continued until 92 CE, when the last Herodian monarch, Agrippa II, died and Rome assumed full power over his de jure domain.

Contents

History

Origin

During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus (134104 BCE), Judea conquered Edom (Idumea) and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism. [1]

The Edomites were gradually integrated into the Judean nation, and some of them reached high-ranking positions. In the days of Alexander Jannaeus, the Edomite Antipas was appointed governor of Edom. [2] His son Antipater, father of Herod the Great, was the chief adviser to Hasmonean Hyrcanus II and managed to establish a good relationship with the Roman Republic, who at that time (63 BCE) extended their influence over the region, [3] following conquest of Syria and intervention in a civil war in Judea.

There are differing genealogies for the dynasty, depending on the source. According to Sextus Julius Africanus, Antipater's father was named Herod, and Epiphanius of Salamis writes that this Herod's father was named Antipas. It is Josephus who states that Antipas fathered Antipater, without further delineating his ancestry. This model is usually accepted by scholars.

Julius Caesar appointed Antipater to be procurator of Judea in 47 BCE [4] and he appointed his sons Phasael and Herod to be governors of Jerusalem and Galilee respectively. Antipater was murdered in 43 BCE; however, his sons managed to hold the reins of power and were elevated to the rank of tetrarchs in 41 BCE by Mark Antony. [3] [5]

Rise to power

In 40 BCE, the Parthians invaded the eastern Roman provinces and managed to drive the Romans out of many areas. [6] [7] In Judea, the Hasmonean dynasty was restored under king Antigonus II Mattathias as a pro-Parthian monarch. Herod the Great, the son of Antipater the Idumaean and Cypros (possibly of Nabataean descent), managed to escape to Rome. After convincing the Roman Senate of his sincere intentions in favor of Romans he eventually was announced as king of the Jews by the Roman Senate. [8]

Despite his announcement as king of the whole of Judea, Herod did not fully conquer it until 37 BCE. [9] He subsequently ruled the Herodian kingdom as a vassal king for 34 years, crushing the opposition while also initiating huge building projects, including the harbor at Caesarea Maritima, the plaza surrounded by retaining walls at the Temple Mount, the Masada and the Herodium, among other fortresses and public works. [10] [11] Herod ruled Judea until 4 BCE; [10] at his death, his kingdom was divided among his three sons as a tetrarchy. [12]

Tetrarchies

Herod Archelaus, son of Herod and Malthace the Samaritan, was given the title of ethnarch and ruled over the main part of the kingdom: Judea proper, Idumea, and Samaria. He ruled for ten years until 6 CE, when he was "banished to Vienna in Gaul, where according to Cassius Dio, "Hist. Roma," lv. 27—he lived for the remainder of his days." [13] See also Census of Quirinius.

Philip, sometimes erroneously called Herod Philip II, was the son of Herod and his fifth wife Cleopatra of Jerusalem. He was given the title of tetrarch with jurisdiction over the northeast part of his father's kingdom: Iturea, Trachonitis, Batanaea, Gaulanitis, Auranitis, and Paneas. He ruled until his death in 34 CE.

Herod Antipas, another son of Herod and Malthace, was made a tetrarch of Galilee and Perea; he ruled there until he was exiled to Spain by emperor Caligula in 39 CE, according to Josephus. [14] Herod Antipas is the person referenced in the Christian New Testament Gospels, playing a role in the death of John the Baptist [15] and the trial of Jesus. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was first brought before Pontius Pilate for trial, since Pilate was the governor of Roman Judea, which encompassed Jerusalem where Jesus was arrested. Pilate initially handed him over to Antipas, in whose territory Jesus had been most active, but Antipas sent him back to Pilate's court.

Last rulers

Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod. Thanks to his friendship with Caligula, the emperor appointed him ruler with the title of king over the territories of Philip in 37 CE, which were after Philip's death in 34 CE shortly part of the Roman province of Syria, and in 40 CE he was given the territories of Herod Antipas. In 41 CE, Emperor Claudius added to his territory the parts of Judea province that previously belonged to Herod Archelaus. Thus Agrippa I practically re-united his grandfather's kingdom under his rule. Agrippa died in 44 CE.

Agrippa's son Herod Agrippa II was appointed a tetrarch of Chalcis and later king of the territories previously ruled by Philip. He actively participated in the quelling of the Great Revolt of Judea on the Roman side. Agrippa II was the last of the Herodians; with his death in c. 92 or 100 CE the dynasty was extinct, and the kingdom became fully incorporated into the Roman province of Judaea.

In addition, Herod of Chalcis ruled as king of Chalcis, and his son, Aristobulus of Chalcis, was tetrarch of Chalcis and king of Armenia Minor.

List of Herodian rulers (47 BCE – 100 CE)

Herodian dynasty in later culture

Literature

Novels

  • Hordos u-Miryam (1935), a Hebrew novel by Aaron Orinowsky
  • Mariamne (1967), a Swedish novel by Pär Lagerkvist
  • Claudius the God (1934), an English novel by Robert Graves, features Herod Agrippa I as an important character

Plays

Poetry

Movies

Figurative arts

Painting

Performing arts

Music

Ballet

Opera

Family tree of the Herodian dynasty

Antipater the Idumaean
procurator of Judea
1.Doris
2.Mariamne I
3.Mariamne II
Herod I the Great
∞4.Malthace
5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem
6.Pallas
7.Phaidra
8.Elpis
Phasael I
(1) Antipater
heir of Judaea
(2) Alexander I
heir of Judea
(2) Aristobulus IV
prince of Judea
(3) Herod II Philip
prince of Judea
(4) Herod Archelaus
ethnarch of Judea, Idumea & Samaria
(4) Herod Antipas
tetrarch of Galilea & Perea
(5) Philip the Tetrarch
of Iturea & Trachonitis
Tigranes V of Armenia Alexander II
prince
Herod Agrippa I
king of Judea
Herod V
king of Chalcis
Aristobulus Minor
prince of Judea
Tigranes VI of Armenia Herod Agrippa II
king of Batanaea
Aristobulus
tetrarch of Chalcis
Gaius Julius Alexander
ruler of Cilicia
Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus
proconsul of Asia
Gaius Julius Agrippa
quaestor of Asia
Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa
gymnasiarch

See also

Related Research Articles

Herod may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod the Great</span> 1st century BCE King of Judea

Herod I or Herod the Great was a Roman Jewish client king of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea. Among these works are the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the expansion of its base—the Western Wall being part of it. Vital details of his life are recorded in the works of the 1st century CE Roman–Jewish historian Josephus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod Agrippa</span> King of Judaea (11 BC–AD 44) (r. 41–AD 44)

Herod Agrippa, also known as Herod II or Agrippa I, was the last Jewish king of Judea. He was a grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Herod Agrippa II, the last known king from the Herodian dynasty. He was acquaintance or friend of Roman emperors and even played crucial roles in internal Roman politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod Agrippa II</span> 1st-century Judean ruler

Herod Agrippa II, officially named Marcus Julius Agrippa and sometimes shortened to Agrippa, was the last ruler from the Herodian dynasty, reigning over territories outside of Judea as a Roman client. Agrippa II fled Jerusalem in 66, fearing the Jewish uprising and supported the Roman side in the First Jewish–Roman War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hasmonean dynasty</span> Dynasty of Judea (140–37 BCE)

The Hasmonean dynasty was a ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during the Hellenistic times of the Second Temple period, from c. 140 BCE to 37 BCE. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE the dynasty ruled Judea semi-autonomously in the Seleucid Empire, and from roughly 110 BCE, with the empire disintegrating, Judea gained further autonomy and expanded into the neighboring regions of Perea, Samaria, Idumea, Galilee, and Iturea. The Hasmonean rulers took the Greek title basileus ("king") as the kingdom became a regional power for several decades. Forces of the Roman Republic intervened in the Hasmonean Civil War in 63 BCE and made it into a client state, marking the decline of Hasmonean dynasty; Herod the Great displaced the last reigning Hasmonean client-ruler in 37 BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod Antipas</span> 1st century AD tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (r. 1–39)

Herod Antipas was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea. He bore the title of tetrarch and is referred to as both "Herod the Tetrarch" and "King Herod" in the New Testament, although he never actually held the title of king. He was a son of Herod the Great and a grandson of Antipater the Idumaean. He is widely known today for accounts in the New Testament of his role in events that led to the executions of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. His father, Herod the Great, was alleged to have ordered the Massacre of the Innocents, marking the earliest Biblical account of the concerns of the government in Jerusalem regarding Jesus's existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antipater the Idumaean</span> Father of Herod the Great

Antipater I the Idumaean was the founder of the Herodian Dynasty and father of Herod the Great. According to Josephus, he was the son of Antipas and had formerly held that name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod Archelaus</span> Ethnarch of ancient Samaria, Judea, and Idumea

Herod Archelaus was the ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, including the cities Caesarea and Jaffa, for nine years. He was the son of Herod the Great and Malthace the Samaritan, brother of Herod Antipas, and half-brother of Herod II. Archelaus came to power after the death of his father Herod the Great in 4 BC, and ruled over one-half of the territorial dominion of his father. Archelaus was removed by the Roman emperor Augustus when Judaea province was formed under direct Roman rule, at the time of the Census of Quirinius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judaea (Roman province)</span> Province of the Roman Empire (6–135 CE)

Judaea was a Roman province from 6 to 132 CE, which incorporated the Levantine regions of Judea, Samaria and Idumea, extending over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of Judea. The name Judaea was derived from the Iron Age Kingdom of Judah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aristobulus IV</span> Prince of Judea

Aristobulus IV was a prince of Judea from the Herodian dynasty, and was married to his cousin, Berenice, daughter of Costobarus and Salome I. He was the son of Herod the Great and his second wife, Mariamne I, the last of the Hasmoneans, and was thus a descendant of the Hasmonean Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herod of Chalcis</span> Roman client king of Chalcis in Iturea (ruled 41-48 AD)

Herod of Chalcis, also known as Herod Pollio King of Chalcis, Herod V, and listed by the Jewish Encyclopedia as Herod II, was a son of Aristobulus IV, and the grandson of Herod the Great, Roman client king of Judaea. He was the brother of Herod Agrippa I and Herodias and ruled as the king of Chalcis in 41–48 CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aristobulus of Chalcis</span> 1st century AD King of Chalcis and Lesser Armenia

Aristobulus V of Chalcis was a son of Herod of Chalcis and his first wife Mariamne. Herod of Chalcis, ruler of Chalcis in Iturea, was a grandson of Herod the Great through his father, Aristobulus IV. Mariamne was a granddaughter of Herod the Great through her mother, Olympias; hence Aristobulus was a great-grandson of Herod the Great on both sides of his family.

Phasael, was a prince from the Herodian Dynasty of Judea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salome I</span> Herodian queen regnant

Salome I was the sister of Herod the Great and the mother of Berenice by her husband Costobarus, governor of Idumea. She was a nominal queen regnant of the toparchy of Iamnia, Azotus, Phasaelis from 4 BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antipater (son of Herod the Great)</span> Heir of Judea

Antipater II was Herod the Great's first-born son, his only child by his first wife Doris. He was named after his paternal grandfather Antipater the Idumaean. He and his mother were exiled after Herod divorced her between 43 BC and 40 BC to marry Mariamne I. However, he was recalled following Mariamne's fall in 29 BC and in 13 BC Herod made him his first heir in his will. He retained this position even when Alexander and Aristobulus rose in the royal succession in 12 BC, and even became exclusive successor to the throne after their execution in 7 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herodian tetrarchy</span> Four-way division of Herod the Greats Levantine kingdom upon his death

The Herodian tetrarchy was a regional division of a client state of Rome, formed following the death of Herod the Great in 4 BCE. The latter's client kingdom was divided between his sister Salome I and his sons Herod Archelaus, Herod Antipas, and Philip. Upon the deposition of Herod Archelaus in 6 CE, his territories were transformed into a Roman province. With the death of Salome I in 10 CE, her domain was also incorporated into a province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip the Tetrarch</span> Son of Herod the Great and ruler of part of his fathers kingdom

Philip the Tetrarch, sometimes called Herod Philip II by modern writers, son of Herod the Great and his fifth wife, Cleopatra of Jerusalem, ruled over the northeast part of his father's kingdom between 4 BCE and 34 CE. He was a half-brother of Herod Antipas and Herod Archelaus and should not be confused with Herod II, whom some writers call Herod Philip I.

Herodian coinage were coins minted and issued by the Herodian Dynasty, Jews of Idumean descent who ruled the province of Judaea between 37 BC–92 AD. The dynasty was founded by Herod the Great who was the son of Antipater, a powerful official under the Hasmonean King Hyrcanus II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herodian kingdom</span> Client state of the Roman Republic from 37 to 4 BC

The Herodian kingdom was a client state of the Roman Republic ruled from 37 to 4 BC by Herod the Great, who was appointed "King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate. When Herod died, the kingdom was divided among his sons into the Herodian Tetrarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypros (wife of Herod Agrippa)</span>

Cypros (1st-century) was a queen consort of Judea. She was married to king Herod Agrippa.

References

  1. "Peoples Beyond Palestine". Anxious Bench. 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  2. "Kingdoms of the Levant - Edom". www.historyfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  3. 1 2 Jarus, Owen (11 March 2019). "Who Was the Real King Herod?". livescience.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  4. "The Family of Herod the Great - Grace Notes". www2.gracenotes.info. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  5. Flader, Fr John (2020-06-17). "Which Herod was which? Sorting out the five Herods". The Catholic Weekly. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  6. "Why the Magi got a bad press". The Jerusalem Post. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  7. "Rome, Iran, and the Specters of Antiquity". Foreign Policy Journal. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  8. Jewish War 1.14.4: Mark Antony " …then resolved to get him made king of the Jews… told them that it was for their advantage in the Parthian war that Herod should be king; so they all gave their votes for it. And when the senate was separated, Antony and Caesar went out, with Herod between them; while the consul and the rest of the magistrates went before them, in order to offer sacrifices [to the Roman gods], and to lay the decree in the Capitol. Antony also made a feast for Herod on the first day of his reign."
  9. "Palestinian Authority demolishing Hasmonean dynasty fortress - report". The Jerusalem Post. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  10. 1 2 Ponchner, Debbie. "Archeologists Restore Flooring That Adorned the Second Temple of Jerusalem". Scientific American. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  11. Leichman, Abigail Klein (2020-06-18). "The 10 most iconic archeological sites in Israel". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  12. Flader, Fr John (2020-06-17). "Which Herod was which? Sorting out the five Herods". The Catholic Weekly. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  13. "Archelaus". Jewish Encyclopedia.
  14. Josephus, Antiquities 18.181.
  15. GCT. "August 29: Beheading Of John The Baptist". Greek City Times. Retrieved 2020-09-18.

Bibliography

Further reading