Herod Part 1
Herod
THE LANDSCAPE
PART 1 – HASMONEANS PERIOD
THEIR ACTIVITIES TO SAVE ISRAEL FOR THE JEWS
622 BCE – 570 CE/AD
ACCEPTED DATES OF MY BLOGS
THE LANDSCAPE
PERSIAN RULE ● HELLENISTIC PERIOD ● HASMONEAN DYNASTY ● (KINGSHIP ● TETRARCHY) ● ROMAN JUDAEA
The HASMONEAN DYNASTY, managed by the MONARCHS, JOHN, SIMEON, ALEXANDER, JANNAEUS, and ANTIGONUS. There were Notable Members, JONATHAN APPHUS and their dad MATTATHIAS, JONATHAN APPHUS became the third leader during the JUDEAN REVOLT against the GRECO-SYRIAN EMPIRE. His reign was from around 161 BCE. He was the 3rd youngest son of MATTATHIAS of MODI’IN, the chief lieutenant. He died in JORDAN in 143 BCE, and his brothers, SIMON THASSI and JUDAS MACCABEUS continued the revolt.
These were the rulers of the DYNASTY OF JUDEA and surrounding regions during CLASSIC ANTIQUITY from 161 BCE to 37 BCE. Their capital was JERUSALEM.
Between 161 BCE to 116 BCE, the Dynasty ruled JUDEA semi-autonomously from the GREEK SELEUCID EMPIRE. Around 110 BCE the Empire disintegrated, and JUDEA gained full INDEPENDENCE, and expanded into neighbouring regions, such as SAMARIA – GALILEE – ITUREA – PEREA and IDUMEA.
This period is referred to as the ‘PERIOD OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.’ Unfortunately, in 37 BCE, the ROMANS ‘took’ the Dynasty with HEROD THE GREAT in charge.
RULERS WE SHOULD KNOW AND WATCH.
THE MACCABEAN REVOLT in 167 BCE (A revolt which shaped the HASMONEAN PERIOD)
This was a Jewish Rebellion, lasting around 7 Years – this Revolt was led by the MACCABEES (a group of Jewish regal warriors, who took control of JUDEA, by conquering ANTIOCHUS IV and JERUSALEM, which at the time was part of the GREEK SELEUCID EMPIRE.
These rebel Jewish warriors founded the HASMONEAN DYNASTY – They reasserted the Jewish Religion of the Day by ‘forced conversions.’ Expanding the boundaries of JUDEA by conquest and so reducing the GREEK HELLENISM.
JUDAISM . . . . These were the various leaders.
SIMON THASSI | JOHN HYRCANUS | ARISTOBULUS I | ALEXANDER JANNAEUS
SALOME ALEXANDER | HYRCANUS II | ARISTOBULUS II
(POMPEY intervened, causing Civil War)
HYRCANUS II (The PARTHIANS invasion)
ANTIGONUS ( HEROD overthrows the HASMONEANS)
THE HERODIAN
TETRARCHY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
A little deviation and we take a look at JOSEPHUS. He wrote most of the known history pages, I used as reference and cross referencing of the time. We find that he was heavily assisted by the works of HEROD’S Court ‘Jewish’ Historian and Philosopher, NICOLUS OF DAMASCUS. Born in 64 BCE. He lived during the time of AUGUSTUS of the ROMAN EMPIRE, and he died in ROME in 4 BCE, while defending HEROD ARCHELAUS’s claim to the throne after his father HEROD THE GREAT passed.
The TETRARCHY was formed following the death of HEROD THE GREAT, and at the time of the birth of JESUS in 4 BCE.
At his passing, HEROD’s kingdom gets divided between his sons and his sister, as follows.
HEROD ARCHELAUS – Judaea – Samaria & Idumean CAPITAL CAESAREA PHILLIPPI
6 CE HEROD ARCHELAUS was ‘taken’, and his territories were transformed into a ROMAN PROVINCE
HEROD ANTIPAS – Galilee & Perea CAPITAL JAMNIA
39 CE HEROD ANTIPAS, were expelled as he lost the battle, and his territories was ‘taken.’
PHILIP – Batanea – Trachonitis – Auranitis CAPITAL JERUSALEM
34 CE PHILIP’s territories were ‘taken’ and incorporated into SYRIA.
SALOME I – Toparchy of Jamina
(a City of Central District Israel) CAPITAL TIBERIUS
10 CE SALOME I, dies and JAMINA becomes part of the ROMAN EMPIRE
The last notable HERODIAN RULER, with some level of independence was AGRIPPA I, who was even granted JUDAEA PROVINCE. At the time of his death in 44 CE/AD, JUDAEA was restored for good.
So, which ‘Roman’ was responsible for the PLOT which ended the life of JESUS? Could it be PHILIP or HEROD ANTIPAS?
AGRIPPA I, reigned over GALILEE – BATANEA – TRACHONTIS – PEREA and much of JUDAEA at the time. But who was AGRIPPA I?
HEROD AGRIPPA, grandson of HEROD the GREAT and KING of JUDEA. His father was AGRIPPA II, the last king from HERODIAN DYNASTY. He imprisoned PETER the APOSTLE and executed JAMES, son of ZEBEDEE.
BACK TO OUR STORY . . . Later HERODIAN included the city of HEROD OF CHALCIS. When the son of ARISTOBULUS IV of CHALCIS ruled over this KINGDOM OF CHALCIS which was a small city near DAMASCUS and a vassal state of ROME. HEROD OF CHALCIS, dies in 48 CE/AD. Then the rule went to AGRIPPAS II.
AGRIPPAS II dies childless, and CHALCIS was incorporated into the PROVINCE OF SYRIA. This was truly the last of the HERODIAN DYNASTY.
ROMAN RULE
The ROYAL DYNASTY of INDIAMAN (EMORITE) descent, ruling the HERODIAN KINGDOM, and later the HERODIAN TETRARCHY, became a vassal state of the ROMAN EMPIRE. Let us have a look at how it evolved and how it eventually impacted on the death of JESUS.
The HASMONEANS, ruled from around 167 BCE to around 37 BCE, they were the HEIRS to the MACCABEES, a group of Jewish Rebel Warriors, who took control of JUDEA ,which was part of the SELEUCID, a GREEK group on the march to ‘claim’ territories around the LEVANT.
It all started with HEROD THE GREAT, who assumed the throne of JUDEA, with ROMAN support. They took down the HASMONEAN KINGDOM, after ANTIPATER diplomatically and artfully with political tactics ingratiates himself into the HASMONEAN COURT. This powered the way for his son HEROD THE GREAT. HEROD marries the HASMONEAN PRINCESS MARIAMNE, thus endearing himself to ROME.
The GREAT KINGDOM of HEROD, lasted until 4 BCE, when it was divided between his sons as TERTRARCHY. This lasted about 10 years, before they were incorporated into the JUDEAN PROVINCE around 8 CE/AD. The HERODIAN KINGSHIP continued until the death of AGRIPPA I in 44 CE, but survived through the destruction of JERUSALEM, under AGRIPPA II. When he died in 92 CE, full power passed to ROME.
NABATAEANS
The NABATAEANS or NABATEANS were one of many ancient ARAB NOMADIC BEDOUIN TRIBES, who roamed the ARABIAN DESERT in search of pasture and water for their herds. They inhabited NORTHERN ARABIA and SOUTHERN LEVANT. They settled in RAQMU, current-day (PETRA) JORDAN, which stretched from the EUPHRATES to the RED SEA, curving around the SEA OF GALILEE and the DEAD SEA.
They emerged as a DISTINCT CIVILIZATION and Political Entity between 4 BCE and 2 BCE. Unlike the rest of the ARABIAN TRIBES, the NABATAEANS emerged as a vital players in the region during their times of prosperity. The NABATAEANS, controlled the ANCIENT TRADE ROUTE, between PETRA to EGYPT, as well as from PETRA to the MEDITERRANEAN SEA, to SYRIA, THE FAR EAST to CHINA, through TURKEY to ROME and GREECE, from 2 000 BCE to current era. Their Trades were spices, incense, gold, animals, ivory, copper, medicines, perfume, and fabric.
Around 600 BCE, they stopped their nomadic lifestyle and settled into the cities in and around PETRA, PALESTINE, and JORDON. It would appear that they ‘faded.’ Their history was then forgotten, but thanks to our archaeologist, never stopping their quest to find us answers allowed my writing to continue.
This was a TRADE ROUTE the ROMANS certainly wanted to get control of. This was also the TRADE ROUTE, MOSES must have used, as it runs through the city of KADESH BARNEA, where they camped for many years.
DENISE
These two BLOGS are long and detailed. They sketch the landscape as to who all came together and allowed a Landscape for the ROMANS to plan and execute an attack on JESUS. Greed allowed the HERODIANS’ to be the top dogs within the various Government Offices within ISRAEL and JUDEA, where they allowed the ROMANS to get to JESUS.
It is also a BLOG about the struggles of the MACCABEES a GOD convicted family, until greed walks in the front door. A BLOG, that makes me aware, that we make decisions hoping they are the right decision on the day, then then next day we find ourselves mixed up in the wrong relationship and ‘married’ to the enemy. LIFE IS SO HARD . . . PRAY GOD STILL PROTECT US THROUGH THESE EVILS.
Related Posts
