Faith & Reason Nexus

HEROD THE GREAT

• King of Judea from 40/37 B.C. – 4 B.C.
• Son of Antipater and Kypros
• Edomite, appointed procurator of Judea by Julius Caesar
• Made “King of the Jews” by Roman Senate in 40 or 37 B.C.

Married 10 times:

• Doris
• Pallas
• Mariamne I
• Phaedra
• Mariamne II
• Elpis
• Malthace
• To a daughter of Salome
• Cleopatra
• To a niece
  • Prolific builder, reconstructed the Temple at Jerusalem
  • Despised by the Jews
  • Jesus born shortly before Herod’s death (Matthew 2:1)
  • Ordered the slaughter of Jewish male babies (Matthew 2:16)

HEROD ARCHELAUS

• Ruled Judea from 4 B.C. – A.D. 6
• Also called Herod the Tetrarch
• Eldest son of Herod the Great by his Samaritan wife, Malthace
• Ruled Judea without the title of king
• Had the worst reputation of all of Herod’s sons (Matthew 2:22)

HEROD ANTIPAS

• Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea until A.D. 39
• Youngest son of Herod the Great by Malthace, brother of Herod Archelaus
• Married a daughter of Areta IV, King of Nabatea, but divorced her to marry Herodian, the wife of his half-brother, Herod Philip (Luke 3:19-20)
• Pilate sent Jesus to him for judgment (Luke 23:7-12)
• Built the city of Tiberias on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee
• Disposed of his tetrarchy in A.D. 39 and spent the remainder of his life in exile

HEROD AGRIPPA I

• Son of Aristobulus and Bernice
• Grandson of Herod the Great
• Brother of Herodias
• Married Azizus, king of Emesa
• Tetrarch of Bantanea and Trachonitis beginning in A.D. 37
• Galilee and Perea included in his tetrarchy in A.D. 39
• From A.D. 41-44, king of Judea, Batanea, Trachonitis, Perea, and Galilee

Had three daughters and one son:

• Bernice – married her uncle, king of Chalcis; then Polemon, king of Cilicia, and lived with her brother, Herod Agrippa II (Acts 25:13)
• Drusilla – married king Azizus and later became the 3rd wife of the procurator, Antonius Felix (Acts 24:24)
• Mariamne

HEROD AGRIPPA II

• Son of Herod Agrippa I
• Made king of Galilee, Perea, and part of Judea by Nero
• His relationship with his sister, Bernice, was held in great suspicion
• His armies participated in the assault on Jerusalem during the Jewish war
• He and Bernice moved to Rome in A.D. 75
• Heard Paul’s case at Caesarea and said, “Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 25:13-26:32)
• Died in A.D. 100, ending the Herodian dynasty

BERNICE

• Sister of Herod Agrippa II and daughter of Agrippa I and Kypros
• Married Marcus, son of Alexander
• Married Herod III, king of Chalcis (her uncle)
• After Herod III’s death, apparently lived incestuously with her brother, Agrippa II
• Married Polemon, king of Cilicia, then returned to Agrippa II
• With Agrippa II when hearing Paul’s case at the request of Festus (Acts 25:13-26:32)
• Moved to Rome with Agrippa II in A.D. 75
• Subsequently became the mistress of Vespasian and Titus
• Banished by Titus

HEROD PHILIP I

• Son of Herod the Great and Mariamne
• Married Herodias, sister of Agrippa I, had a daughter Salome
• Excluded from father’s possessions due to his mother’s treachery
• Lived a private life

HEROD PHILIP II

• Tetrarch of Batanea and Trachonitis A.D. 34
• Son of Herod the Great by his 5th wife, Cleopatra
• Married Salome, daughter of Herod Philip I and Herodias (Mark 6:22)
• Built the city of Caesarea Philippi
• Died without an heir in A.D. 34
• His tetrarchy became part of Syria, later assigned to Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 37

DRUSILLA

• Born in A.D. 38
• Daughter of Agrippa I and Kypros
• Sister of Bernice and Agrippa II
• Married Azizus, king of Emesa
• Later became the 3rd wife of Antonius Felix, procurator of Judea from A.D. 52-60
• Her only son by Felix, Antonius Agrippa, died in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79

HERODIAS

• Daughter of Aristobulus
• Wife of Herod Philip, mistress of Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:3-6; Mark 6:17-23; Luke 3:19)

DRUSILLA

• Known as the daughter of Herodias in the Bible (Matthew 15:6; Mark 6:22)
• Daughter of Herod Philip II and Herodias
• Her dancing on her stepfather’s birthday led to the beheading of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29)