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 A vassal state is any state that has a mutual obligation to a superior state or empire, in a status similar to that of a vassal in the feudal system in medieval Europe. Vassal states were common among the empires of the Near East, dating back to ...

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 The Hasmonean dynasty (; he, ''Ḥašmōnaʾīm'') was a ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity, from BCE to 37 BCE. Between and BCE the dynasty ruled Judea semi-autonomously in the Seleucid Empire, an ...

. 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 Herod Agrippa (Roman name Marcus Julius Agrippa; born around 11–10 BC – in Caesarea), also known as Herod II or Agrippa I (), was a grandson of Herod the Great and King of Judea from AD 41 to 44. He was the father of Herod Agrippa II, the l ...

's death in 44 CE and nominal title of kingship continued until 92 CE, when the last Herodian monarch,

Agrippa II Herod Agrippa II (; AD 27/28 – or 100), 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 ...

, died and Rome assumed full power over his ''de jure'' domain.

History

Origin

During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus (134–104 BCE), Judea conquered Edom (Idumea) and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism. 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. His son

Antipater Antipater (; grc, , translit=Antipatros, lit=like the father; c. 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general and statesman under the subsequent kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collaps ...

, 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, 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 Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

appointed Antipater to be procurator of Judea in 47 BCE and he appointed his sons Phasael and Herod to be governors of Jerusalem and

Galilee Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...

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.

Rise to power

In 40 BCE, the

Parthians Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...

invaded the eastern Roman provinces and managed to drive the Romans out of many areas. 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. Despite his announcement as king of the whole of Judea, Herod did not fully conquer it until 37 BCE. 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 Caesarea Maritima (; Greek: ''Parálios Kaisáreia''), formerly Strato's Tower, also known as Caesarea Palestinae, was an ancient city in the Sharon plain on the coast of the Mediterranean, now in ruins and included in an Israeli national park ...

, the plaza surrounded by retaining walls at the Temple Mount, the Masada and the Herodium, among other fortresses and public works. Herod ruled Judea until 4 BCE; at his death, his kingdom was divided among his three sons as a tetrarchy.

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." See also Census of Quirinius.

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

, 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 Iturea ( grc, Ἰτουραία, ''Itouraía'') is the Greek name of a Levantine region north of Galilee during the Late Hellenistic and early Roman periods. It extended from Mount Lebanon across the plain of Marsyas to the Anti-Lebanon Mountai ...

, Trachonitis, Batanaea, Gaulanitis,

Auranitis The Hauran ( ar, حَوْرَان, ''Ḥawrān''; also spelled ''Hawran'' or ''Houran'') is a region that spans parts of southern Syria and northern Jordan. It is bound in the north by the Ghouta oasis, eastwards by the al-Safa field, to the so ...

, and Paneas. He ruled until his death in 34 CE.

Herod Antipas Herod Antipas ( el, Ἡρῴδης Ἀντίπας, ''Hērǭdēs Antipas''; born before 20 BC – died after 39 AD), was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch ("ruler of a quarter") and is referred to as both "H ...

, another son of Herod and Malthace, was made a tetrarch of

and Perea; he ruled there until he was exiled to Spain by emperor

Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...

in 39 CE, according to Josephus. Herod Antipas is the person referenced in the Christian New Testament Gospels, playing a role in the death of John the Baptist 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

, 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 Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, and in 40 CE he was given the territories of

. In 41 CE, Emperor

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...

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 Chalcis ( ; Ancient Greek & Katharevousa: , ) or Chalkida, also spelled Halkida (Modern Greek: , ), is the chief town of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from ...

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)

* Antipater the Idumaean (Procurator of Judaea) 47–44 BCE * Herod the Great ** Governor of Galilee 47–44 BCE ** Tetrarch of Galilee 44–40 BCE ** Elected king of all Judaea by the Roman Senate 40 BCE, reigned 37–4 BCE * Phasael (Governor of Jerusalem) 47–40 BCE * Pheroras (Governor of Perea) 20–5 BCE * Herod Archelaus (Ethnarch of Judaea) 4 BCE – 6 CE *

(Tetrarch of Galilee) 4 BCE – 39 CE *

Philip the Tetrarch Philip the Tetrarch (c. 26 BCE. - 34 CE), sometimes called Herod Philip II by modern writers (see "Naming convention"), son of Herod the Great and his fifth wife, Cleopatra of Jerusalem, ruled over the northeast part of his father's kingdom be ...

(Tetrarch of Batanaea) 4 BCE – 34 CE * Salome I (Tetrach of Jabneh) 4 BCE – 10 CE *

Tigranes V of Armenia Tigranes V, also known as Tigran V ( Armenian: Տիգրան, el, Τιγράνης, 16 BC–36 AD) was a Herodian Prince who ruled as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 6 AD to 12 AD. Family and life in the Herodian court Tigranes was the firs ...

(King of Armenia) 6–12 CE * Herod Agrippa ** King of Batanaea 37–41 CE ** King of Galilee 40–41 CE ** King of all Judaea 41–44 CE, previously Judaea (Roman province), given to him by

, and reinstated as a province after his death. * Herod of Chalcis (King of

) 41–48 CE * Herod Agrippa II ** Tetrarch of Chalcis 48–53 CE ** King of Batanaea 53–100 CE * Aristobulus of Chalcis ** King of Armenia Minor 55–72 CE ** Tetrarch of Chalcis 57–92 CE * Tigranes VI of Armenia (King of Armenia) 58–61 CE * Gaius Julius Alexander (King of Cetis) 58–72 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

*Herod appears in some cycles of the

Mystery Plays Mystery plays and miracle plays (they are distinguished as two different forms although the terms are often used interchangeably) are among the earliest formally developed plays in medieval Europe. Medieval mystery plays focused on the represen ...

, played as an over the top villain. Such portrayals were still in folk memory in William Shakespeare's time, for Hamlet instructs the players not to "out-Herod Herod" ( Act 3, Scene 2). * ''Marianna'' (1565), an Italian drama by Lodovico Dolce * ''Mariam, the Faire Queene of Jewry'' (1613) an English drama by

Elizabeth Tanfield Cary Elizabeth Cary, Viscountess Falkland (''née'' Tanfield; 1585–1639) was an English poet, dramatist, translator, and historian. She is the first woman known to have written and published an original play in English: ''The Tragedy of Mariam''. F ...

* ''Herod and Antipater, with the Death of Faire Mariam'' (1622), an English drama by Gervase Markham and William Sampson * ''Mariamne'' (1636), a French drama by François Tristan l'Hermite * ''La mort des enfants d’Hérode; ou, Suite de Mariamne'' (1639), a French drama by Gathier de Costes de la Calprenède * ''Herod and Mariamne'' (1673), an English drama by Samuel Pordage * ''La Mariamne'' (1696), an Italian opera by

Giovanni Maria Ruggeri Giovanni Maria Ruggieri or Ruggeri was a Baroque composer from Italy. His dates of birth and death are uncertain, but he may have been born about 1665 in Verona and died around 1725. He is known to have flourished from 1689–1720. Life His major ...

(mus.) and

Lorenzo Burlini Lorenzo may refer to: People * Lorenzo (name) Places Peru * San Lorenzo Island (Peru), sometimes referred to as the island of Lorenzo United States * Lorenzo, Illinois * Lorenzo, Texas * San Lorenzo, California, formerly Lorenzo * Lorenzo State ...

(libr.) * ''Mariamne'' (1723), a French drama by

Elijah Fenton Elijah Fenton (20 May 1683 – 16 July 1730) was an English poet, biographer and translator. Life Born in Shelton (now Stoke-on-Trent), and educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, for a time he acted as secretary to the Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of ...

*Herod features in two 18th century French plays on Mariamne, by

Nadal Rafael Nadal Parera (, ; born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No. 2 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He has been ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks, and has finis ...

and Voltaire. * ''Herodes und Mariamne'' (1850), a German drama by Christian Friedrich Hebbel * ''Myriam ha-Hashmonayith'' (1891), a Yiddish drama by Moses Seiffert * ''Tsar Irod I tsaritsa Mariamna'' (1893), a Russian drama by

Dmitri Alexandrov Dmitri (russian: Дми́трий); Church Slavic form: Dimitry or Dimitri (); ancient Russian forms: D'mitriy or Dmitr ( or ) is a male given name common in Orthodox Christian culture, the Russian version of Greek Demetrios (Δημήτριος ...

* ''Herod and Mariamne'' (1938), an English drama by Clemence Dane

Poetry

* ''Herod and Mariamne'' (1888), an English poem by Amelie Rives * ''Mariamne'' (1911), an English poem by

Thomas Sturge Moore Thomas Sturge Moore (4 March 1870 – 18 July 1944) was a British poet, author and artist. Biography Sturge Moore was born at 3 Wellington Square, Hastings, East Sussex, on 4 March 1870 and educated at Dulwich College, the Croydon School o ...

Movies

* ''The King of Kings'' (1927) by Cecil B. DeMille * ''Salome'' (1953) by William Dieterie * ''King of Kings'' (1961) by Nicholas Ray * ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' (1965) by George Stevens,

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics ''The Bridge on the River ...

, Jean Nugelesco * ''Herod the Great'' (1959) (Italy) by Victor Tourjansky

Figurative arts

Painting

* ''Mariamne Leaving the Judgment Seat of Herod'' (1887), a painting by

John William Waterhouse John William Waterhouse (6 April 184910 February 1917) was an English painter known for working first in the Academic style and for then embracing the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. His artworks were known for their dep ...

Performing arts

Music

* ''Herod’s Lament for Mariamne'' (1815), an English song by

Isaac Nathan Isaac Nathan (15 January 1864) was an English composer, musicologist, journalist and self-publicist, who has been called the "father of Australian music". Early success Isaac Nathan was born around 1791 in the English city of Canterbury to a '' ...

(mus.) and

George Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and has been regarded as among the ...

(libr.) * ''Herodes und Mariamne'' (1922), incidental music by

Karol Rathaus Karol Rathaus (Karl Leonhard Bruno Rathaus; also Leonhard Bruno; 16 September 1895 — 21 November 1954) was a German-Austrian Jewish composer who immigrated to the United States via Berlin, Paris, and London, escaping the rise of Nazism in German ...

* ''Lied der Mariamne (ohne Worte)'' (1927), incidental music by Mikhail Gnesin

Ballet

* ''La Marianna'' (1785), an Italian ballet by

Giuseppe Banti Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name is Giusep ...

(chor.)

Opera

* ''Marianne'' (1796), opera in French with music by Nicolas Dalayrac and a libretto of

Benoît-Joseph Marsollier Benoît-Joseph Marsollier (also known as Benoît-Joseph Marsollier des Vivetières, (Paris, 1750 – Versailles, 22 April 1817) was a French playwright and librettist. He is particularly noted for his work in opéra comique. In 1780 he also led ...

* '' Hérodiade'' (1881), opera in French by

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...

after Gustave Flaubert's play ''Hérodias'' (1877) * ''

Salome Salome (; he, שְלוֹמִית, Shlomit, related to , "peace"; el, Σαλώμη), also known as Salome III, was a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II, son of Herod the Great, and princess Herodias, granddaughter of Herod the Great, an ...

'' (1905), opera in German by

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

after

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

's play's ''

Family tree of the Herodian dynasty

References

Bibliography

* Julia Wilker, ''Für Rom und Jerusalem. Die herodianische Dynastie im 1. Jahrhundert n.Chr.'' (Berlin, Verlag Antike, 2007) (Studien zur Alten Geschichte, 5).

External links

*
Jewish Encyclopedia: Herodians
{{Dynasties of Ancient Israel Jews and Judaism in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire Classical Syria Classical Palestine Judea (Roman province) 1st-century BCE Judaism 1st-century Judaism