Herod the Great

Herod (74 BC – 4 AD), also known as Herod the Great, was a client king of the Roman province of Judea. His name means “son of a hero.” Herod’s father, Antipater, was an Edomite who had saved the life of Julius Caesar, earning Caesar’s permission to rule all of ancient Israel. After Antipater was poisoned, Herod fled to Rome for help. He returned with an army, recaptured Israel, and around 37 BC, was appointed king of Judea by the Romans. This is when he became known as “Herod the Great.” Because he was not Jewish, he married a descendant of the Maccabean dynasty to make his claim to the throne somewhat legitimate in the eyes of the Jews. However, throughout his life, Herod was never truly accepted by the Jewish people because of his Edomite heritage.

Herod the Great was a tyrant. The New Testament records that when he learned a king had been born in Bethlehem, he ordered the Roman garrison to kill all male infants two years old and under in Bethlehem and its vicinity. Furthermore, to secure his rule, he executed his own wife, his sons, and many rabbis.

Despite his tyranny, Herod the Great was a very accomplished architect. He was the most famous builder in Jewish history. He built fortified palaces like Herodium and Masada for himself. To appease the Jews, he expanded the Second Temple. To curry favor with the Roman Empire, he built the Hellenistic port city of Caesarea and constructed three temples in Caesarea, Samaria, and Caesarea Philippi to worship the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. He also generously sponsored urban construction projects throughout the Roman Empire. Herod the Great provided food relief during a famine in Greece and was elected president of the Olympic Games, becoming an important sponsor and organizer.

Herod the Great reigned from 37 BC to 4 AD, ruling the region of Israel for nearly 40 years. After his death, he was buried at Herodium, 12 kilometers outside the Holy City. The Roman Empire divided his territory among his three sons: Archelaus, Herod Antipas (the Tetrarch), and Philip. Archelaus inherited Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, but due to his tyrannical rule, he was deposed by the Roman Empire in 6 AD, and the province of Judea was then governed by a Roman procurator. Herod Antipas (the Tetrarch) ruled Galilee and Perea, the area where Jesus spent most of His life. Trachonitis was ruled by Philip, where there were few Jewish inhabitants.

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.