People in the Bible: Profile of the Herodian Dynasty

The name Herod is Greek and means 'sprung from a hero.' The origins of the Herodian family are not known, aside from the fact that they were a powerful Idumean family. The earliest references to them occur in the context of the Hasmonean rulers of Judea in the early first century BCE. Major Herodian rulers included: Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, Herod Philip, Herod Agrippa, and Herod Agrippa II. Read Article: Profile of the Herodian Dynasty