v57_0195 - JUDAEA - HERODIAN KINGDOM - HEROD I Octoprutah

JUDAEA - HERODIAN KINGDOM - HEROD I

(40-4 BC)

Herod of Idumean ancestry is the son Antipater. He began his career under Pompey and received the title of Tetrarch in 40 BC.. -VS. of Marc Antoine after having served in turn the Cesarean party and that of his assassins. When Labienus invaded Syria with the help of the Parthians, Hyrcanus II was deposed and replaced by his nephew Matthias Antigonos. Eventually Herod was recognized as ruler of Judea. Matthias Antigone was finally assassinated after the capture of Jerusalem. Despite the expansionist aims of Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, Herod supports Marc Antony in the conflict which opposes him to Octavian. He retains the confidence of Octave become Augustus who expands his territories. The rest of his reign is devoted to the embellishment of his kingdom with the construction of its new capital, Caesarea and the reconstruction of the Temple. The end of his reign is marred by the killing of his sons, Alexander and Aristobulus in 7 BC.. -VS. and Antipater in 4 BC. -VS. The destruction of the golden eagle placed in the Temple leads to savage repression when it dies in 4 BC. -VS. After his death Augustus suppresses the kingdom and Herod's surviving sons Archelaus, Philip and Herod Antipas succeed him as ethnarchs and tetrarch only. Herod is believed to be responsible for the massacre of the Innocents at the time of Jesus' birth and leaves a detestable reputation among Romans, Hebrews and Christians alike.. He was a Hellenized ruler.