Who was Salome?:
Salome was the daughter of Herod and Herodias; the granddaughter of Herod the Great. Salome later married her uncle, Herod Philip the tetrarch.
When did Salome live?:
Salome lived in Judea with her family, all rulers of the region.
Where did Salome live?:
No information is known about when Salome was born or died.
What did Salome do?:
The gospels of Mark and Matthew related that Herod’s daughter performed a dance so wonderful that he promised her anything she wanted. Herodias, who hated John the Baptist, had Salome ask for John’s head and Herod reluctantly agreed. The gospels do not give her name, this comes from Josephus’ history of the region.
Why was Salome important?:
Salome is portrayed in the gospels as the reason for John the Baptist’s death which, in turn, is used to illustrate the fate of those who preach the truth about Jesus and God. Josephus’ account of John the Baptist has him executed at the Herodian fortress of Machaerus, not the palace, however.
Salome has become an important figure in art and literature. Her story has been portrayed in many paintings, in a one-act play by Oscar Wilde, and an opera by Richard Strauss.
