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Herod the Great

Herod's Father - Antipater of Idumaea

The Family of the Herod's. Antipater of Idumaea (67-47 B.C.) With all of the turmoil that caused the decay of the Hasmonean dynasty, the civil wars and the conversion of Syria and Palestine into a territory ruled by the Romans, the nation of Palestine was undergoing major factions. It was during this time that the dynasty of the Herods became p...

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Herod and the Last of the Relatives of Hyrcanus

The Death of the Last of the Hasmoneans. After a long period of depression over Mariamne, Herod began his bloodshed once again and executed the last of the male relatives of Hyrcanus, anyone who could dispute his occupancy of the throne....

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Herod the King 37-25 B.C.

During this period we will be looking at the time from Herod's accession as king in 37 B.C. to the execution of his favorite wife Mariamne, and finally the death of the sons of Babas, in 25 B.C., when the last heir of the Hasmonean family was executed. While Herod was king he had many powerful opponents, namely the Pharisees, the ruling class,...

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Herod and Octavius

On September 2nd, 31 B.C. Marc Antony was defeated by Octavius at the Battle of Actium. This was devastating to Herod. He knew that he would answer ultimately to Octavius for everything. Herod then made a shrewd move, he murdered Hyrcanus II and accused him of plotting with the king of the Nabatean's. This would eliminate any possible rival who mig...

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Herod’s Temple

From Augustus, Herod obtained the right to intervene on behalf of the Jews wherever in the Roman empire they might be annoyed. But, above all, he tried to prove that Greek temples were not his only concern by undertaking to rebuild and beautify the Temple in Jerusalem. Almost five hundred years had elapsed since the Second Temple had been buil...

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Herod and His Wife Mariamne

Herod enjoyed the so-called success of his kingdom, but things in Judea were far from peaceful. While he was at Rhodes, Mariamne had found out from one of Herod's friends named Soemus that Herod gave the order for her to be killed if he was executed. Therefore when Herod returned she was bitter toward him. Herod was very aware of all these things. ...

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Herod the Governor of Galilee

Governor of Galilee (47-37 B.C.). At around 25 years old Herod became governor of Galilee. It wasn't long before the Galilean Jews and the Roman officials in Syria began to admire this young man. Herod was quick to capture and execute the outlaw Ezekias and most of his followers. At one point many people came to Hyrcanus and tried to convince ...

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The Construction of Herod's Temple

Once things commenced, under no circumstances were the services to be interrupted. Herod hired workmen by the thousands. Among them were many priests to build those portions not accessible to ordinary Jews. The work was started by leveling larger portions of the Temple Mount, so that the new building might be erected on a broader base. It was ...

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Herod and the Parthians

It wasn't long before the new tetrarchs of Judea had to deal with the Parthians who had appeared in Syria in 40 B.C. Pacorus, the prince of Parthia, joined forces with Antigonus in order to seize the throne of Hyrcanus and give it to Antigonus. With the invading of Jerusalem by the Parthians a civil war broke out and fighting went on every day in t...

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Herod’s Roman Eagle

The Temple took many years to build. Begun in 19 BC, it was not finished till long after Herod's death. The Jews prided in Herod's accomplishment until Herod placed a huge Roman eagle over the most important gate of the new Temple. Before long there was a conspiracy to pull the eagle down. When rumor circulated that Herod was dying, a group of...

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