Antipas and Rome

In 36 A.D. Aretas made an attack on Antipas and defeated Antipas' army. The Jews saw this defeat as a divine retribution upon Antipas for his execution of John the Baptist (Jos. Antiq. 5. 1. 2 ; 116, 119) . Tiberius ordered Vitellius, governor of Syria, to help Antipas but before he attacked Aretas he with Antipas went up to Jerusalem to celebrate a feast (probably Pentecost in 37 A.D.). While in Jerusalem Vitellius received the news of Tiberius' death (March 16, 37 A.D.) and consequently called off his expedition against Aretas until he received commands from the new emperor Caligula. Caligula upon his accession gave his friend Agrippa I, brother of Herodias, the land of Philip as well as the tetrarch of Lysanius with the title of king (Jos. Antiq. xviii. 6. 10 ; 225, 239). Later Agrippa went to Palestine (August of 38 A.D.). Due to Agrippa's acquisition of the title of king, Herodias prodded Antipas to go to Rome to seek the same title. Finally in A.D. 39 Antipas with Herodias went to Rome but meanwhile Agrippa dispatched one of his freedmen to Rome to bring accusations against Antipas which resulted in Antipas' banishment to exile at Lugdunum Convenarum, now SaintBertrand de Comminges of France. Although Herodias did not have to go into exile she chose to follow her husband. Antipas' territories were given to Agrippa (Jos. Antiq. 7. 1-2 ; 240-255; War ii. 9. 6 ; 181-183) .

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