Herod the Great:

Herod I or Herod the Great, was a Roman client-king of Judaea (c. 74 BC - c. 5, 4 or 1 BC in Jerusalem). The details of his biography can best be gleaned from the works of the 1st century AD Jewish historiographer Josephus. To the majority of non-specialist Christians Herod is best known from the Gospel according to Matthew that gives in chapter 2 an account of the events leading up to and including what subsequently has come to be referred to by Christians as the Massacre of the Innocents, of which however no mention in other contemporary sources has come down to us. Herod the Great arose from a wealthy, influential Idumaean family. The Idumaeans, successors to the Edomites of the Hebrew Bible, settled in Idumea, formerly known as Edom, in southern Judea. When the Maccabean John Hyrcanus conquered Idumea in 130-140 BC, he required all Idumaeans to obey Jewish law or to leave; most Idumaeans thus converted to Judaism. Herod identified himself as Jewish, although according to the Law he was not. For he was the second son of Antipater the Idumaean, founder of the Herodian dynasty, and his wife Cypros, a princess from Petra in Nabatea (now part of Jordan).

The family rubbed shoulders with the greats in Rome, such as Pompey, Cassius, and in 47 BC his father was appointed Procurator over Judea, who then appointed his son governor of Galilee at the age of 25. After his father was poisoned in 43 BC, allegedly by a tax-collector, Herod had the murderer executed. After returning from a campaign, he was offered the betrothal to the teenage princess Mariamne (sometimes spelled Mariamme) from the Hasmonean dynasty who were the titular rulers of Judaea. As he was already married, he banished his first wife Doris and her 3 year old son, also named Antipater, and married Mariamne. In 40 BC Antigonos and the Parthians invaded Judea, and Herod fled Jerusalem to Rome for the first time. There he was titled King of Judaea by Mark Antony. However Herod did not conquer Judea and rule as king until 37 BC. He ruled for 34 years. Josephus (Ant. 17.167) reports Herod died after a lunar eclipse. There is disagreement about whether Herod counted his years of rule from when was titled king or from when he actually sat on the throne. If the former, he may have died after the total lunar eclipse that was visible from Jerusalem in September 15, 5 BC. However, counting off 34 regnal years from year 40 BC (with partial years not included) leads most scholars argue he died in 4 BC, despite there being only a partial lunar eclipse in that year, in March 13. However if Herod counted his regnal years from when he ruled Judea, he may have died on 1 BC. , perhapse after the total lunar eclipse that was visible from Jerusalem in Jan 9/10, 1 BC.


Sources: Wikipedia The free encyclopedia.