Who were the Herodian rulers?:
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.
What were the names of the Herodian rulers?:
Antipater (c. 65 BCE)
Antipater (d. 43 BCE)
Herod the Great (d. 4 BCE), 2nd Antipater’s son, gave family its name
Aristobulus & Alexander, Herod the Great's sons, executed 6 BCE
Antipater, Herod the Great's son, executed 4 BCE
Archelaus (d. 6 CE), Herod the Great’s son, ruled S. Palestine
Herod Antipas (d. 39), Herod the Great's son, tetrarch of Galilee & Peraea
Herod Philip (d. 34), Herod the Great's son
Herod Agrippa I (d. 44), Aristobulus’ son
Herod Agrippa II (d. 100), Herod Philip’s son
When did the Herodian rulers live?:
The first clearly identifiable Herodian leader was Herod Antipater, a military commander in the service of Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BCE). The last Herodian leader was Herod Agrippa II, king of Chalcis in Lebanon until his death in 92 CE. The primary source for information about all the Herodian family is Josephus.
Where did the Herodian rulers live?:
Although the Herodian family’s origins were in Idumea, they ruled various lands all over Palestine: Judea, Galilee, Samaria, and more. Various Herodian leaders also built many important cities throughout the region.
What did the Herodian rulers do?:
Herodian rulers managed to align themselves with political victors in Judea, performed key services for Roman rulers, and in the end managed to play pivotal roles in the administration of Jewish states in Palestine.
Why were the Herodian rulers important?:
Herodian rule allowed for the development of social and political stability in Palestine. Foreign rulers were almost invariably insensitive to Jewish religious requirements and, as a consequence, frequently did things that caused Jews to become resentful and eventually revolt. Although the Herodians were ultimately converts to Judaism, they at least understood what they could do and what lines they shouldn’t cross. Because of this, they were able to keep the peace while building up infrastructure and keeping Rome happy.
