Herod the Great

This article is about the Roman-appointed king of Judea. For other uses, see Herod, Herod the Great (film), and Herod the Great (play).
Herod
Herod's sarcophagus, displayed at the Israel Museum
Roman client king of Judea
Reign37–4 BCE (Schürer)
36–1 BCE (Filmer)[1]
PredecessorMonarchy established
Successor
Bornc. 72 BCE
Idumea, Hasmonean Judea
DiedMarch–April 4 BCE (Schürer) or January–April 1 BCE (Filmer)
Jericho, Judea
Burial
Most likely the Herodium
Spouse
Issue
among
others
DynastyHerodian
FatherAntipater the Idumaean
MotherCypros
ReligionSecond Temple Judaism

Herod I[2][3][a] or Herod the Great (c. 72 BCE – c. 4 BCE) was a Roman Jewish client king of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea.[4][5][6] 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[7][8][9]—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.[10]

Despite Herod's successes, including single-handedly forging a new aristocracy from practically nothing,[11] he has still been criticized by various historians. His reign polarizes opinion among historians, some viewing his legacy as evidence of success, and some viewing it as a reminder of his tyrannical rule.[10]

While Herod the Great is described in the Christian Bible as the author of the Massacre of the Innocents, the remainder of the Biblical references to the "two Herods of the Bible" are all ascribed to Herod Antipas, Herod the Great's son. Upon Herod's death in 4 BCE, the Romans divided his kingdom among three of his sons and his sister: his son Herod Antipas received the tetrarchy of Galilee and Peraea.

Other family members of Herod the Great include Herod's son Herod Archelaus who became ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; Herod's son Philip who became tetrarch of territories north and east of the Jordan River; and Herod's sister Salome I, who was given a toparchy including the cities of Jabneh, Ashdod, and Phasaelis.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Steinmann 2009, pp. 1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Judaica was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference JE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Perowne 2003, pp. 92–93.
  5. ^ Peters, Francis E. (2005). The Monotheists: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Conflict and Competition, Volume II: The Words and Will of God The Words And Will of God. Princeton University Press.
  6. ^ Kasher, Aryeh; Witztum, Eliezer (2007). King Herod: a persecuted persecutor : a case study in psychohistory and psychobiography. Translation by Karen Gold. Walter de Gruyter.
  7. ^ Antiquities of the Jews, 15.11.6.
  8. ^ Cf. Babylonian Talmud (Ta'anit 23a). Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple sanctuary and expanded the Temple Mount at its north side around the older Temple courts, and "enclosed an area double the former size." Formerly, according to the Mishnah (Middot 2:1), the Temple Mount had measured 500 cubits x 500 cubits square, and its expansion was done to accommodate the pilgrims.
  9. ^ The Jewish War, 1.21.1.
  10. ^ a b Schwartz, Seth (2014). "Herod to Florus". The Ancient Jews from Alexander to Muhammad. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 59–62. ISBN 978-1-107-04127-1.
  11. ^ Cohen 1999, p. 269.


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