King Herod, The Great
Quite a variety of members belonging to the royal dynasty had their names Herod being originated in Edom or Idumea after John Hyrcanus in 125 B.C was obligated to adopt the Jewish religion (1). The Herod family ruled in Palestine as vassals of the Romans. Followed by Maccabees, the history of this dynasty mainly relates to the political history of Palestine during this whole era (1).
Romans in 40 B.C made Herod I the Great, son of Antipater the king who managed to keep hold of his throne even during the times of changes in the government at Rome (1). Herod's kingdom includes Idumea, Galilee, Judea, Batanea, Samaria and Peraea, which was more or less the same size as the kingdom of David and Solomon (1).
Though Herod had outstanding leadership skills, yet he was greatly detested by the Jews. One of the reasons for disliking him was his attitude toward the Maccabean dynasty to which he was linked in terms of marriage, while his impudence and brutality, infuriated Jews more (1).
One of the examples of his brutality is the execution of his brother-in-law and some of his wives and sons (1). In addition, he obligated heavy taxes and cruelly reserved all rebellions. But the main reason for detesting him was the policy of Hellenistic culture that deeply wounded the Jews (1).
However, he was supported for the construction of a theater, a racecourse and an amphitheater in Jerusalem (1). While the construction of the emperor cult in the East and in foreign cities the formation of pagan temples at his own expense could not be excused, although he reinstated and renovated the Temple of Jerusalem and repeatedly pleaded the cause of the Jews of the Diaspora to the emperor for his own benefits (1).
No close tie existed between the king and his people as he stayed an Edomite and a friend of Rome, and held on to his regime by means of a pitiless military force. He is the same ruler who butchered the children of Bethlehem (1).
Herod's death was sudden in the year 4 B.C. however, the Emperor Augustus after his death, made Herod's three sons the rulers of various parts of their father's kingdom (1).
Herod Regime from 37-25 B.C
This first period covers the time from Herod's succession as king in 37 B.C. To the execution of his wife Mariamne, and the loss Babas's sons in 25 B.C., at the time when the last successor of the Hasmonean family was executed (1). During this era of Herod's regime he had many strong foes, specifically the Pharisees, the ruling class, the Hasmonean family, and Cleopatra (1).
The Pharisees
The Pharisees had many reasons for disliking Herod one of which was the fact that he was the king of Judea, and then chiefly because he was an Idumaean, a half Jew, and an ally of the Romans (1, 2). Herod faced many problems while dealing with the Pharisees one of which was there incredible popularity with the people since they were respected a lot and were considered to be very religious. However, King Herod had his own ways of dealing with the population (1, 2). Therefore, whoever opposed him he gives punishment, while reward with favors and great honors to those who were his friends (1, 2).
The Ruling Class
This other group with strong rival to King Herod was the followers the aristocratic Antigonus. King Herod cruelly dealt them all to the extent that once he executed forty-five of the most well-off, renowned and important members of the ruling class (1, 2). He even detained their possessions and filled up his treasury, which had been tired due to all of his bribes (1, 2).
The Hasmonean Family
This third group of his powerful opponent was the family of the Hasmoneans. Here the actual of most of his problems was his mother-in-law, Alexandra. During this period Hyrcanus came back from Parthian exile, still he was mutilated due to which he was not able to serve as high priest (1, 2). Herod wanted replacement of Hyrcanus as high priest and since Hyrcanus was a half Jew, he therefore, was not permitted to serve as high priest. Thus, Herod preferred to choose a member of the Zadokite family, who were non-threatening and also thought to have descended from Aaron. Thus, he chose Ananel, a priest of the Babylonian exile (1, 2).
Herod's mother-in-law, Alexandra, felt insult and thought it to be an imposition on the Hasmonean line. According to her the only rightful heir could serve...
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