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[[Image:Herod_coin1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Copper coin of Herod, bearing the legend "Basileus Herodon" on the obverse and a Macedonian sun-symbol on the reverse]]
[[Herod]] (Hebrew: הוֹרְדוֹס, Hordos; [[Greece|Greek]]: ἡρῴdης, Hērōdēs) (74-r. 37-d. 4 BC), also known as ''Herod the Great'', was the "King of the Jews" during the time of the Birth of [[Jesus Christ]].<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 5050-6082ff.</ref> He is best remembered for ordering the Slaughter of the Innocents during his reign, and dying shortly thereafter of a [[gastrointestinal disease]], the nature of which has never been determined for certain.
== Biography ==
=== Early years ===
Herod was not Jewish at all, but [[Idumaean]], a descendant of [[Esau]], who was also known as '''Edom'''. His father was [[Antipater]], a recent convert to [[Judaism]] and follower of [[John Hyrcanus]].<ref name=Catholic>Tierney, John J. "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07289c.htm Entry for Herod]." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', vol. VIII. New York. Robert Appleton Co., 1910. Retrieved June 18, 2007 from [http://www.newadvent.org/ New Advent].</ref> His mother was [[Cypros]], a princess from the stone city of [[Petra]], capital of [[Nabatea]] in the mountain range that today belongs to [[Jordan]].<ref name=Livius>Lendering, Jona. "[http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_the_great01.html King Herod the Great]." <http://www.livius.org/>, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref><ref name=Greetham1>Greetham, The Rev. Phil. "[http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/p_greetham/wisemen/wmsoc9.html King Herod the Great]." ''[http://www.btinternet.com/~prgreetham/Wisemen/home.html The Nativity Pages],'' 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref>
Herod's family gained favor early with [[Rome]], mainly by an uncanny capacity to ally themselves with the winning side in Rome's Civil Wars. The first general to favor them was [[Pompey the Great]], Rome's Special High Commissioner to the Middle East, who had come to gain victory, once and for all, over the "Two Kings," [[Mithridates]] of [[Pontus]] and [[Tigranes]] of [[Armenia]]. In the process, Pompey captured [[Jerusalem]] in 63 BC<ref name=JewishLib>Authors unknown. "[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Herod.html Entry for Herod]." ''[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/index.html The Jewish Virtual Library],'' American-Jewish Cooperative Enterprise, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> and determined to settle the question of the high-priestly succession in which John Hyrcanus was involved. Pompey chose Hyrcanus over his rival, and Antipater and his family gained favor along with Hyrcanus.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/>
Subsequently the first of Rome's Civil Wars broke out between Pompey and [[Julius Caesar]]. Hyrcanus and Antipater sided with Caesar, and for that Antipater was made Procurator of Judea (in Greek, ''epitropos'') in 47 BC. Antipater appointed his son governor of [[Galilee]] in this year.<ref name=Greetham1/>
The assassination of Caesar Dictator probably unsettled all of Rome's provinces. A Roman [[publican]] (literally, a private collector of Rome's taxes) poisoned Antipater in 43 BC. Herod had the offender executed. Shortly thereafter he was married to [[Mariamne I]], a member of the Hasmoneans, the other faction with whom the Hyrcaneans had struggled for so long. This gave him the basis to claim the kingship of the Jews.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/>
=== Wars of Conquest ===
In 40 BC, Antigonos, King of the Parthians, invaded Judea. Herod fled Jerusalem to Rome. There the Senate of Rome passed a resolution recognizing him as "King of the Jews."<ref name=Livius/> This resolution carried with it the establishment of a ''patron-client relationship'' between Rome and Judea. Thus, in essence, Herod became a vassal of the Senate of Rome.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/>
But this relationship also obliged the Senate to support him with arms, and support him they did. Specifically he had the support of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus [[Augustus]], then [[Proconsul]] of Nearer and Further [[Spain]] and [[France|Gaul]],<ref name=Catholic/> and of [[Marcus Antonius]], [[Proconsul]] of all the Roman provinces east of [[Italy]].<ref name=Columbia>Author unknown. "[http://www.bartleby.com/aol/65/he/Herod.html Entry for Herod]." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th ed.. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> In 37 BC, the reconquest of Judea was complete. Antony himself had Antigonos executed,<ref name=Catholic/> a gesture that probably demonstrated Herod's continued subordinate relationship to Rome.<ref name=Livius/>
In 32 BC Herod fought another war against Nabatea and won it a year later.
In 31 BC, war finally broke out between Antony and [[Augustus]]. The future [[Emperor]] Augustus won that war, and Herod quickly switched sides. Augustus (still called Octavianus at the time) confirmed him as King of Judea,<ref name=JewishLib/> an office he would hold until his death.<ref name=Columbia/>
=== Family Troubles ===
Herod's family was at least as dysfunctional, if not more so, than was the Julio-Claudian family that produced the first five [[Emperor|Emperors]] of Rome.<ref name=Columbia/> He brought many of his family members to mock trials and had them executed during his reign, beginning with this brother-in-law [[Aristobulus III]]<ref name=Greetham1/> and continuing with his wife, his mother-in-law, another brother-in-law, and finally three of his sons.<ref name=Greetham1/>
== Building Campaign ==
[[Image:HerodTheater.jpg|thumb|350px|right]]
Herod was, first and foremost, a master builder and showman. His first grand project was the rebuilding, in 27 BC, of the city of [[Samaria]], which he renamed '''Sebaste''' (after the Greek ''Sebastos'', the Old Common Greek word for the [[Latin]] ''Imperator'').<ref name=Catholic/><ref name=JewishLib/>
In 25 BC famine struck his kingdom. He imported a large amount of grain from [[Egypt]] and cut taxes by a third during the emergency.
In 23 BC Herod built a palace and a fortress, called Herodium, to the east of [[Bethlehem]].<ref name=JewishLib/> (He later built another fortress near [[Jericho]],<ref name=JewishLib/> and another fortress, the [[Masada]] fortress, on the shore of the [[Dead Sea]].<ref name=JewishLib/>) In this year he married yet again, to [[Mariamne II]].<ref name=Livius/>
In 23 BC Herod began what was probably his grandest project: the city of [[Caesaria Maritima]],<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/> which is the "Caesaria" that became the headquarters of Roman rule and where [[Paul]] briefly stood trial. He inaugurated that city in 9 BC with spectacular ceremony.
In 20 BC Herod began the project for which he is best known: a second [[Temple of Jerusalem]].<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/><ref name=Columbia/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/> This he inaugurated in 10 BC.
== Herod and Christ ==
Herod figures briefly in the [[New Testament]], chiefly for his great fear of the prophecy of the [[Messiah]]. Saint Matthew tells the story: {{Bible quote|Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.|book=Matthew|chap=2|verses=1=12|version=KJV}}
[[Image:PleadingWithHerodSoldiers.jpg|thumb|350px|right]]
[[Joseph of Nazareth|Joseph]] then received a warning to take his wife, and the Infant [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]], to Egypt. Matthew then takes up the narrative of what Herod did next: {{Bible quote|Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.|book=Matthew|chap=2|verses=16-18|version=KJV}}
== Herod's Death ==
Subsequent to this, Herod died. The nature of the disease of which he died has never been determined, but some have speculated<ref name=Livius/> that the disease was [[Fournier's gangrene]], a [[cancer]]-like disease of the [[gastrointestinal tract]].
Herod's death is a major [[epoch]] of the New Testament, because Flavius [[Josephus]] records a precise regnal period: 37 years after the Senate had confirmed him as client-king, and 34 years following the execution of Aristobulus. Furthermore, Josephus includes an [[Astronomical dating|astronomical reference]], specifically to an eclipse of the [[moon]] that occurred shortly before his death. These events strongly suggest that Herod died in 4 BC.<ref name=Catholic/><ref name=Greetham2>Greetham, The Rev. Phil. "[http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/p_greetham/wisemen/chron2.html The Death of King Herod]." ''[http://www.btinternet.com/~prgreetham/Wisemen/home.html The Nativity Pages],'' 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> Ussher agrees with this, and calculates his death at November 25, 4 BC, which was the 7th day of the month [[Chisleu]] or Kislev. However, Josephus says that Herod died shortly before [[Passover]] in that year, which would have taken place in April. (The [[Julian calendar]] was then in use, this after Julius Caesar had compelled its adoption in 45 BC, shortly before his assassination.)
== Succession ==
Herod left three sons and successors alive: [[Archelaus]], to whom he bequeathed his overall kingdom, [[Herod Antipas]], who became [[Tetrarch]] of [[Galilee]]; and [[Herod Philip]], [[Tetrarch]] of sundry other lands.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Columbia/><ref name=Greetham1/> Herod Philip does not come further into the Bible, except that Herod Antipas later married Philip's wife, prompting [[John the Baptist]] to protest that this was unlawful, which landed John in prison. Archelaus could not be confirmed with the title of king because the Emperor never consented to this.
== Related References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Augustus]]
* [[Jesus Christ]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Herod]] (Hebrew: הוֹרְדוֹס, Hordos; [[Greece|Greek]]: ἡρῴdης, Hērōdēs) (74-r. 37-d. 4 BC), also known as ''Herod the Great'', was the "King of the Jews" during the time of the Birth of [[Jesus Christ]].<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pghh. 5050-6082ff.</ref> He is best remembered for ordering the Slaughter of the Innocents during his reign, and dying shortly thereafter of a [[gastrointestinal disease]], the nature of which has never been determined for certain.
== Biography ==
=== Early years ===
Herod was not Jewish at all, but [[Idumaean]], a descendant of [[Esau]], who was also known as '''Edom'''. His father was [[Antipater]], a recent convert to [[Judaism]] and follower of [[John Hyrcanus]].<ref name=Catholic>Tierney, John J. "[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07289c.htm Entry for Herod]." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', vol. VIII. New York. Robert Appleton Co., 1910. Retrieved June 18, 2007 from [http://www.newadvent.org/ New Advent].</ref> His mother was [[Cypros]], a princess from the stone city of [[Petra]], capital of [[Nabatea]] in the mountain range that today belongs to [[Jordan]].<ref name=Livius>Lendering, Jona. "[http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_the_great01.html King Herod the Great]." <http://www.livius.org/>, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref><ref name=Greetham1>Greetham, The Rev. Phil. "[http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/p_greetham/wisemen/wmsoc9.html King Herod the Great]." ''[http://www.btinternet.com/~prgreetham/Wisemen/home.html The Nativity Pages],'' 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref>
Herod's family gained favor early with [[Rome]], mainly by an uncanny capacity to ally themselves with the winning side in Rome's Civil Wars. The first general to favor them was [[Pompey the Great]], Rome's Special High Commissioner to the Middle East, who had come to gain victory, once and for all, over the "Two Kings," [[Mithridates]] of [[Pontus]] and [[Tigranes]] of [[Armenia]]. In the process, Pompey captured [[Jerusalem]] in 63 BC<ref name=JewishLib>Authors unknown. "[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Herod.html Entry for Herod]." ''[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/index.html The Jewish Virtual Library],'' American-Jewish Cooperative Enterprise, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> and determined to settle the question of the high-priestly succession in which John Hyrcanus was involved. Pompey chose Hyrcanus over his rival, and Antipater and his family gained favor along with Hyrcanus.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/>
Subsequently the first of Rome's Civil Wars broke out between Pompey and [[Julius Caesar]]. Hyrcanus and Antipater sided with Caesar, and for that Antipater was made Procurator of Judea (in Greek, ''epitropos'') in 47 BC. Antipater appointed his son governor of [[Galilee]] in this year.<ref name=Greetham1/>
The assassination of Caesar Dictator probably unsettled all of Rome's provinces. A Roman [[publican]] (literally, a private collector of Rome's taxes) poisoned Antipater in 43 BC. Herod had the offender executed. Shortly thereafter he was married to [[Mariamne I]], a member of the Hasmoneans, the other faction with whom the Hyrcaneans had struggled for so long. This gave him the basis to claim the kingship of the Jews.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/>
=== Wars of Conquest ===
In 40 BC, Antigonos, King of the Parthians, invaded Judea. Herod fled Jerusalem to Rome. There the Senate of Rome passed a resolution recognizing him as "King of the Jews."<ref name=Livius/> This resolution carried with it the establishment of a ''patron-client relationship'' between Rome and Judea. Thus, in essence, Herod became a vassal of the Senate of Rome.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/>
But this relationship also obliged the Senate to support him with arms, and support him they did. Specifically he had the support of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus [[Augustus]], then [[Proconsul]] of Nearer and Further [[Spain]] and [[France|Gaul]],<ref name=Catholic/> and of [[Marcus Antonius]], [[Proconsul]] of all the Roman provinces east of [[Italy]].<ref name=Columbia>Author unknown. "[http://www.bartleby.com/aol/65/he/Herod.html Entry for Herod]." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th ed.. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> In 37 BC, the reconquest of Judea was complete. Antony himself had Antigonos executed,<ref name=Catholic/> a gesture that probably demonstrated Herod's continued subordinate relationship to Rome.<ref name=Livius/>
In 32 BC Herod fought another war against Nabatea and won it a year later.
In 31 BC, war finally broke out between Antony and [[Augustus]]. The future [[Emperor]] Augustus won that war, and Herod quickly switched sides. Augustus (still called Octavianus at the time) confirmed him as King of Judea,<ref name=JewishLib/> an office he would hold until his death.<ref name=Columbia/>
=== Family Troubles ===
Herod's family was at least as dysfunctional, if not more so, than was the Julio-Claudian family that produced the first five [[Emperor|Emperors]] of Rome.<ref name=Columbia/> He brought many of his family members to mock trials and had them executed during his reign, beginning with this brother-in-law [[Aristobulus III]]<ref name=Greetham1/> and continuing with his wife, his mother-in-law, another brother-in-law, and finally three of his sons.<ref name=Greetham1/>
== Building Campaign ==
[[Image:HerodTheater.jpg|thumb|350px|right]]
Herod was, first and foremost, a master builder and showman. His first grand project was the rebuilding, in 27 BC, of the city of [[Samaria]], which he renamed '''Sebaste''' (after the Greek ''Sebastos'', the Old Common Greek word for the [[Latin]] ''Imperator'').<ref name=Catholic/><ref name=JewishLib/>
In 25 BC famine struck his kingdom. He imported a large amount of grain from [[Egypt]] and cut taxes by a third during the emergency.
In 23 BC Herod built a palace and a fortress, called Herodium, to the east of [[Bethlehem]].<ref name=JewishLib/> (He later built another fortress near [[Jericho]],<ref name=JewishLib/> and another fortress, the [[Masada]] fortress, on the shore of the [[Dead Sea]].<ref name=JewishLib/>) In this year he married yet again, to [[Mariamne II]].<ref name=Livius/>
In 23 BC Herod began what was probably his grandest project: the city of [[Caesaria Maritima]],<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/> which is the "Caesaria" that became the headquarters of Roman rule and where [[Paul]] briefly stood trial. He inaugurated that city in 9 BC with spectacular ceremony.
In 20 BC Herod began the project for which he is best known: a second [[Temple of Jerusalem]].<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Catholic/><ref name=Columbia/><ref name=Greetham1/><ref name=JewishLib/> This he inaugurated in 10 BC.
== Herod and Christ ==
Herod figures briefly in the [[New Testament]], chiefly for his great fear of the prophecy of the [[Messiah]]. Saint Matthew tells the story: {{Bible quote|Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.|book=Matthew|chap=2|verses=1=12|version=KJV}}
[[Image:PleadingWithHerodSoldiers.jpg|thumb|350px|right]]
[[Joseph of Nazareth|Joseph]] then received a warning to take his wife, and the Infant [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]], to Egypt. Matthew then takes up the narrative of what Herod did next: {{Bible quote|Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.|book=Matthew|chap=2|verses=16-18|version=KJV}}
== Herod's Death ==
Subsequent to this, Herod died. The nature of the disease of which he died has never been determined, but some have speculated<ref name=Livius/> that the disease was [[Fournier's gangrene]], a [[cancer]]-like disease of the [[gastrointestinal tract]].
Herod's death is a major [[epoch]] of the New Testament, because Flavius [[Josephus]] records a precise regnal period: 37 years after the Senate had confirmed him as client-king, and 34 years following the execution of Aristobulus. Furthermore, Josephus includes an [[Astronomical dating|astronomical reference]], specifically to an eclipse of the [[moon]] that occurred shortly before his death. These events strongly suggest that Herod died in 4 BC.<ref name=Catholic/><ref name=Greetham2>Greetham, The Rev. Phil. "[http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/p_greetham/wisemen/chron2.html The Death of King Herod]." ''[http://www.btinternet.com/~prgreetham/Wisemen/home.html The Nativity Pages],'' 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2007.</ref> Ussher agrees with this, and calculates his death at November 25, 4 BC, which was the 7th day of the month [[Chisleu]] or Kislev. However, Josephus says that Herod died shortly before [[Passover]] in that year, which would have taken place in April. (The [[Julian calendar]] was then in use, this after Julius Caesar had compelled its adoption in 45 BC, shortly before his assassination.)
== Succession ==
Herod left three sons and successors alive: [[Archelaus]], to whom he bequeathed his overall kingdom, [[Herod Antipas]], who became [[Tetrarch]] of [[Galilee]]; and [[Herod Philip]], [[Tetrarch]] of sundry other lands.<ref name=Livius/><ref name=Columbia/><ref name=Greetham1/> Herod Philip does not come further into the Bible, except that Herod Antipas later married Philip's wife, prompting [[John the Baptist]] to protest that this was unlawful, which landed John in prison. Archelaus could not be confirmed with the title of king because the Emperor never consented to this.
== Related References ==
<references/>
== See Also ==
* [[Augustus]]
* [[Jesus Christ]]
[[Category:Ancient History]]
[[Category:Biblical persons]]
[[Category:Israel]]