Herod the Great was the ruler of Judea from around 37 BC to 4 BC. He was appointed as “King of the Jews” by the Roman Senate, and ruled over Judea as a client state of Rome. Herod is most well-known for his role in the biblical story of Jesus’s birth, as told in the Gospel of Matthew.
Herod was born around 73 BC to a powerful family in Idumea, south of Judea. His father was an advisor to the Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Judea at the time. Herod rose to power with the support of Rome. After conquering Jerusalem with Roman forces, the Senate appointed him as “King of the Jews” in around 37 BC. He ruled as a vassal king on behalf of Rome for over 30 years until his death in 4 BC.
Herod undertook major building projects during his reign, including expanding the Second Temple in Jerusalem. He also built the port at Caesarea Maritima, as well as the fortress at Masada near the Dead Sea. His most ambitious project was Herodium, an enormous palace fortress built on a hilltop south of Jerusalem.
Herod is portrayed negatively in the New Testament, particularly for his role in the Massacre of the Innocents. When the magi came to Herod asking about the newly born “King of the Jews,” Herod ordered the execution of all male infants in Bethlehem to protect his throne (Matthew 2:16-18). This act revealed Herod’s paranoia and cruelty.
The Gospel of Matthew provides the most extensive Biblical account of Herod and Jesus’s birth (Matthew 2:1-23):
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him… When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:1-3, 16)
Based on Matthew’s account, key facts about Herod in relation to Jesus’s birth include:
- The magi came to Jerusalem looking for the newborn “King of the Jews” during the reign of Herod.
- Herod assembled the chief priests and teachers to inquire where the Messiah would be born according to prophecy.
- Herod secretly summoned the magi to determine when the star appeared to try and identify the baby.
- After the magi did not return to Herod, he ordered all boys 2 years and under in Bethlehem to be killed to remove any threat to his throne.
- The massacre showed Herod’s determination to cling to power at any cost.
Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, also wrote extensively about Herod in his work Antiquities of the Jews. According to Josephus, Herod was a complex ruler capable of both cruelty and generosity. He was ruthless towards perceived rivals but also completed impressive building projects.
Key facts about Herod’s life and reign from Josephus include:
- Herod was appointed King of Judea by Mark Antony and Octavian and ruled 37-4 BC with Roman approval.
- He aggressively consolidated power by eliminating Hasmonean rivals and opponents with Roman support.
- Herod undertook major building projects, including expanding the Temple Mount, Masada, Herodium, and the port at Caesarea.
- He imposed heavy taxes but also distributed food during famines and built aqueducts and other public works.
- Herod eliminated perceived threats, including his wife Mariamne and two of his sons, showing paranoia.
In assessing Herod’s legacy, scholars debate his role as a Roman client king who used brutal means to maintain power while developing Judea. His lavish building projects greatly expanded Judean infrastructure but also obligated the population to Rome.
Herod married 10 wives and had numerous children who engaged in bitter succession struggles even before his death. Herod changed his will several times to name different heirs, showing constant intrigue and paranoia about future control.
After Herod’s death, his kingdom was divided among three of his surviving sons:
- Archelaus became ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea.
- Herod Antipas became tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea.
- Philip became tetrarch of territories north and east of the Jordan River.
So in summary, Herod the Great was the Roman-backed ruler of Judea from 37-4 BC who oversaw significant building projects but was also ruthless toward rivals and threats to his power. He plays a central role in the biblical account of Jesus’s birth, particularly the Massacre of the Innocents, showing his paranoia. While complex and controversial, Herod left a lasting mark on Judea during a pivotal time in the region’s history under Roman control.
Herod’s Origins and Rise to Power
Herod was born around 73 BC in Idumea, south of Judea, to Antipater, an advisor to the Hasmonean dynasty ruling Judea. The Hasmoneans had led the Jewish revolt against the Greek Seleucid Empire and established an independent Jewish state. Herod had an Arab mother and Jewish father – though how sincerely Jewish he was is debated by scholars.
Judea was riven by internal Hasmonean conflicts that created an opening for the Roman Republic to intervene. In 63 BC, Roman general Pompey conquered Jerusalem and made Judea a client kingdom of Rome while appointing the Hasmonean Hyrcanus II as ethnarch.
Herod ingratiated himself with Rome and the powerful Mark Antony by his father’s connections and with bribes. In 47 BC, Antony appointed Herod and his brother Phasael as tetrarchs, meaning they ruled over a quarter of the Judean kingdom. Herod impressed the Romans by quickly suppressing banditry.
After Hyrcanus II and Phasael were captured in 40 BC by the Parthian Empire, Herod fled to Rome. Herod convinced the Roman Senate to appoint him “King of the Jews” and provided troops to retake Judea. By 37 BC, Herod and Rome had besieged and conquered Jerusalem, executing rebel leader Antigonus.
Despite Jewish opposition, Rome confirmed Herod and his descendants as client kings ruling Judea. Herod would rule Judea on behalf of Rome for the next thirty-plus years. He ingratiated himself with Antony until the latter’s defeat, then aligned himself with Octavian, soon to become Emperor Augustus.
Herod ruthlessly eliminated all perceived threats to his power once appointed King of Judea. He had the Hasmonean ruler Aristobulus III drowned and his mother-in-law Alexandra imprisoned. He also married Hasmonean princess Mariamne to consolidate his legitimacy, though later killed her when she plotted against him.
So Herod skillfully maneuvered his way to the top with Roman support by playing factions against each other. Once in power, he used severe repression to eliminate opponents and keep control as a Roman client king. But he also undertook major building projects to gain support.
King of the Jews: Herod’s Reign in Judea
Herod ruled Judea from around 37 BC to his death in 4 BC, a reign of over 30 years as a client king of Rome. His rule was marked by sometimes contradictory qualities – ruthlessness against foes, loyalty to Rome, rebuilding projects, and religious sensitivity.
Herod eliminated all opposition early in his reign to secure total control. Herod’s power depended on Roman support – when he fell out of favor, only Roman intervention reinstalled him. To keep Rome happy, Herod provided generous tribute and military aid when requested.
Herod undertook huge building projects to gain popular prestige, employ the people, and Romanize the country. His projects included:
- Expanding the Second Temple into the massive Temple Mount complex.
- Building the fortress at Masada near the Dead Sea.
- Constructing his palace, a small city, at Herodium south of Jerusalem.
- Building the port city of Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean.
While excessively taxing the people to fund his projects, the projects provided jobs and improved Judean infrastructure. The Temple Mount especially increased Jewish loyalty and Herod’s prestige.
However, Herod also built pagan temples, theaters, and amphitheaters to increase Hellenistic influences, offending religious Jews. Herod sponsored Greek athletic games in Jerusalem, also upsetting Jewish traditionalists.
While promoting Greek culture in Judea, Herod also sought to please the Jews and dealt harshly with threats to Jewish tradition. In 20 BC, he had rabbis executed who had pulled down a Roman eagle he placed on the Temple gate.
Herod distributed food during famines to curry popular favor. But heavy taxes and scheming advisors fostered discontent among the people, only increasing Herod’s paranoia.
Herod changed his will several times as he grew increasingly paranoid over succession. He had his wife Mariamne and her relatives killed when they plotted against him. In his later years, Herod even had two of his own sons by Mariamne, Alexander and Aristobulus, executed for treason.
Five days before his death, Herod had his eldest son Antipater killed for conspiring with Pheroras, Herod’s brother, to poison the king. Herod is reported to have attempted suicide shortly before his death but was stopped by his cousin.
So Herod combined massive building projects and loyalty to Rome with ruthless repression and complex family relations. His legacy is debated between the grandeur of his reign and tyrannical cruelty.
Herod in the New Testament and Jesus’s Birth
The New Testament depicts Herod as a tyrant who massacred innocents to hold onto power. The Gospel of Matthew provides the key Biblical account of Herod’s role in Jesus’s birth (Matthew 2:1-23).
After Jesus was born, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the newborn “King of the Jews,” which bothered Herod. Herod discovered from the Jewish chief priests that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem according to Micah 5:2.
Herod secretly summoned the Magi and asked when the star appeared to identify the child. Told to report back, the Magi instead returned home by another route after finding Jesus, having been warned in a dream.
When Herod realized the Magi failed to return as instructed, he ordered the execution of all male infants two years old and under in Bethlehem to eliminate the Messianic threat to his power.
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:16)
Joseph, warned in a dream, had already fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus before the massacre. Matthew cites this as a fulfillment of prophecy: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:15; Hosea 11:1).
After Herod’s death, Joseph brought his family back from Egypt to Nazareth in Galilee instead of Bethlehem. Matthew sees this as a fulfillment of prophets that “He will be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23)
So Matthew presents Herod as a king clinging to power who ruthlessly orders the slaughter of innocent children to remove any threats. The Messiah is spared through Joseph’s flight fulfilling Biblical prophecies.
The contrast between the humble birth of Jesus and the cruel tyrant Herod sets up major Messianic themes in Matthew. Herod represents the corrupt powers of this world that will oppose Jesus throughout his life.
Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Herod Antipas has John the Baptist beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12). The Herods personify the tyranny and darkness that will clash with the emerging Kingdom of God inaugurated through Jesus Christ.
Legacy and Significance
Herod left a lasting but controversial legacy in Judea and Jewish history. His reign set the stage for direct Roman rule and the rise of client rulers like Pontius Pilate. The Western Wall today in Jerusalem is part of Herod’s expansion of the Temple Mount complex.
Aspects of Herod’s legacy include:
- Herod successfully maintained power as a client ruler on behalf of Rome through repression.
- His relationship with Rome was vital for maintaining control and beneficial for infrastructure.
- Building projects enhanced Judea but also increased Hellenistic influences.
- While seeking favor with Jews through the Temple, he also offended traditions.
- Herod eliminated all opponents and showed utter ruthlessness toward real and perceived threats.
- He left behind a strong but conflict-ridden dynasty engaged in bitter succession fights.
Scholarly assessment of Herod’s reign have undergone revision in recent decades. Earlier scholars portrayed him as a bloodthirsty tyrant. But more recently, Herod has been viewed as maintaining stability as a Roman client ruler while furthering Judean development.
While an effective ruler, Herod’s paranoia and scheming court created problems that outlived him. After his death, Judea would see direct Roman rule and growing Jewish opposition to foreign domination that eventually erupted into open revolt.
So in many ways, Herod’s reign shaped Judea’s path for the next hundred years until the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD due to Jewish uprisings. As the ruler who rebuilt the Jewish Temple while ordering the Massacre of the Innocents, Herod demonstrated the complex dynamics at play between Rome, the Jews, and the emergence of Christianity.