Herodian Dynasty - Rise To Power

Rise To Power

In 40 BCE, the Parthians invaded the Roman eastern provinces and managed to drive the Romans out of many areas. In Judea, the Hasmonean dynasty was restored under king Antigonus as a pro-Parthian monarch.

During the pro-Parthian coup, Herod the Great, the son of Antipater the Idumean and Cypros (possibly a 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 whole Judea, Herod did not fully conquer all of it until 37 BCE. He subsequently ruled the Herodian kingdom, as a vassal king, for 34 years, crushing the opposition on he one hand, but also initiating huge building projects, including the Caesarea harbor, the Temple Mount, the Masada and the Herodium, among other things.

Herod ruled Judea until 4 BCE; at his death his kingdom was divided among his three sons as a tetrarchy.

Herod Archelaus, son of Herod and Malthace the Samaritan, was given the main part of the kingdom: Judea proper, Edom and Samaria. He ruled for ten years until 6 CE, when he was "banished to Vienne in Gaul, where—according to Dion Cassius Cocceianus, "Hist. Roma," lv. 27—he lived for the remainder of his days." See also Census of Quirinius.

Herod Philip I, son of Herod and his fifth wife Cleopatra of Jerusalem, was given jurisdiction over the northeast part of his father's kingdom; he ruled there until his death in 34 CE.

Herod Antipas, another son of Herod and Malthace, was made ruler of the Galilee and Perea; he ruled there until he was exiled to Spain by emperor Caligula in 39 CE. Herod Antipas is probably the person referenced in the Christian New Testament Gospels, playing a role in the death of John the Baptist and the trial of Jesus.

Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod; thanks to his friendship with emperor Caligula he was appointed by him as ruler of the territories of Herod Philip I, after his death in 34 CE, and in 39 CE, Agrippa I was given the territories of Herod Antipas. In 41 CE, emperor Claudius added to his territory the parts of Iudea 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 I's son Agrippa II was appointed King and ruler of the northern parts of his father's kingdom. He was the last of the Herodians, and with his death in 92 CE the dynasty was extinct, becoming fully incorporated into the Roman province of Judaea.

In addition, Aristobulus of Chalcis of the Herodian dynasty was king of Chalcis and Armenia Minor. His father, Herod of Chalcis ruled as tetrarch of Chalcis earlier.