According to Jewish tradition, King Herod is a usurper who overthrew the Hasmonean dynasty and ruled the province of Judea for thirty-three years. The bloody and treacherous methods that he used to hold on to power terrified the local population, and the policy of loyalty towards Rome resulted in fierce hatred of the Jews …
Josephus Flavius in his essay "The Jewish War", describing the numerous political and building initiatives of the tsar, does not ignore the scandalous, shocking episodes with which his biography was full: the murder of his beloved wife Mariamne and two sons, morbid greed and irrepressible spending of the state treasury, " controversial "architectural projects such as the ambitious reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple to create a second, more imposing and majestic, and then hoisting an imperial eagle on it as a sign of submission to Rome.
However, Herod's political, economic and other unsuccessful undertakings faded in comparison with his main atrocity, narrated by the Evangelist Matthew - the beating of infants in Bethlehem (Mt 2:16): having heard from the Persian ambassadors about the birth of the king of Judah, the already suspicious Herod was not afraid as a joke - he immediately had an insidious plan to destroy the baby. After all, he himself was the king of the Jews!
Massacre of the innocents
Being a cunning and cunning man, Herod asked the Magi to show him where the baby was, "so that I might worship him." But even those were not so simple: having bowed to the baby, they returned home by a different path. And then Herod ordered to kill all male babies under the age of two …
James Tissot. "Herod the Great". 1886 year
The name Herod has had a negative connotation for many centuries. But not many people think about the fact that there was another Herod - the ruler who brought peace and prosperity to the Jewish land. Under him, Judea became virtually autonomous from Rome. It was Herod I who went down in history under the title of the Great. What was he really like?
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In 73 BC, a second son was born to the Roman procurator of Judea Antipater, who was named Herod. With the consent of the procurator of Syria, at the age of 25, Herod received the first important post - the governor of Galilee.
Among his first steps in this position was the execution of supporters of the Hasmonean priestly dynasty and some of its representatives. This action caused both the approval of the Roman rulers and governors, and the fury of the Jews - after all, the Hasmoneans were considered the ruling dynasty.
However, due to feuds between Hyrcanus II (a high priest from the Hasmonean dynasty) and Aristobulus II (the last independent king of Judea), the Hasmonean kingdom, which arose in 164 BC, was split into two parts, mired in civil strife and lost its independence, finding itself under patronage of Rome.
Immediately after the execution, the Jews summoned the governor of Galilee to a meeting of the Sanhedrin, the highest judicial body. Herod arrived at the trial, securing the protection of Sextus, the governor of Syria and one of the relatives of Julius Caesar himself. The Jews, realizing that they would have to judge not an ordinary person, enlisted the support of Hyrcanus II, who bore the title of ethnarch (ruler of the people), bestowed upon them by the emperor himself. Even the Roman henchmen listened to the opinion of the ethnarch.
Before the beginning of the trial, Herod conveyed to the ethnarch a message from Sextus, which contained a demand to drop the murder charge against him. Hyrcanus II could not disobey, but he could not go against his conscience either. Therefore, he postponed the trial, and advised Herod to hide. Which he did, finding shelter in the administration of Sextus.
Victory or defeat?
Suddenly, there was a coup in Rome, during which the emperor was killed. Herod, who received Syria from the new ruler of the Roman Empire, moved his troops to Jerusalem. But before he had time to reach the main city of the Jews, a change of government took place in Rome again.
Emperor Mark Antony ascended the throne, who immediately elevated Herod to the rank of tetrarch (ruler of the fourth part) of Judea. The Jews who did not want to put up with this proclaimed their king Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus II. Herod's troops entered the battle with the troops of Antigonus, to whose aid came the Parthian kingdom, an ardent opponent of Rome.
In that battle, Herod was defeated and fled to Rome. The Jews, together with the Parthians, celebrated the victory.
However, already in 37 BC, Herod, who by that time had received the title of king of Judea and was considered a friend of Rome, with the support of a huge number of legions returned to the Holy Land and captured Jerusalem. He defeated the Jews and Parthians and executed Antigonus.
In order to strengthen his position and raise his authority among the people who hate him, Herod divorced his wife and married a representative of the Hasmonean dynasty, the granddaughter of Hyrcanus II, Mariamne. However, as is known from the works of Josephus, Herod actually loved Maraimna and declared his desire to marry her, while still being the governor of Galilee.
For over 30 years, Herod ruled Judea. It was during his reign that bloodshed stopped on Jewish land and peace reigned, new cities and fortresses were built, and old ones were strengthened.
By order of Herod, a huge port, a hippodrome and a theater with 3,500 seats were built in Caesarea. Advanced methods were used in its construction. “The king conquered nature itself,” wrote the Jewish historian and military leader Josephus Flavius.
Jerusalem has undergone a complete reconstruction. The rebuilt Temple of the One God, erected by Solomon, sparkled with new facets. The Wailing Wall, which has survived to this day, is the only one left from that temple reconstructed by Herod.
The city's water supply system has been significantly improved. In its northern part, a new quarter was built with theaters and circuses. Games on the Roman model were introduced in the city and a lists were built.
Great builder
Under Herod, Masada became an impenetrable fortress. She had an artificial water supply system, which was then a rarity. The fortress kept weapons and food supplies of the entire state, as well as the royal treasury. It also housed the royal palace and the synagogue.
Until recently, it was believed that the Jews had no need for synagogues as long as the Temple existed. However, during archaeological excavations, several synagogues have been discovered dating back to the period of Herod's reign.
The city of Herodium became an unprecedented architectural monument of that time. It consisted of two parts. In the upper part of the city there was a cone-shaped structure of eight levels. The first five levels were residential. In the center were the royal palace, a Roman bath and a synagogue. The structure was surrounded on three sides, except for the east, by semicircular towers. The east tower was round.
Palaces and service buildings were built in the lower part of the city. A magnificent Roman-style garden with huge columns connected the upper part of the city with the lower one. The garden was equipped with special areas for relaxation and meals. And in the center there was a huge pool, which was used not only for swimming and rowing, but also as a reserve reservoir with water.
The economically prosperous Jewish land became a hotbed of Roman and Hellenic culture. It was here that scientists, sculptors, architects, poets and artists of that time gathered. In times of famine and catastrophe, Herod generously distributed donations not only to his subjects, but also far beyond the borders of the Jewish land. As a token of gratitude, the citizens of Olympia elected him President of the Olympic Games.
Herod was a wise ruler. During the confrontation between Mark Antony and Augustus, he decided to support the latter. For this, Augustus, having become emperor, awarded the king of the Jews with power over additional territories. Judea not only expanded its borders, but actually became autonomous.
However, Herod's reign was not calm. His entourage intrigued and fought for spheres of influence. Herod's sister, Salome, who was considered an unofficial co-ruler of Judea, was the main schemer. Taking advantage of her brother's irascibility and his fear of being overthrown, she persuaded him to execute his beloved wife Mariamne and her two sons.
Earlier, Herod had already executed Mariamne's younger brother. This attitude towards the heirs of the Hasmonean dynasty was the reason for the distrust of Herod on the part of the Jews.
Moon eclipse
About six months before his death, Herod went to Jericho for treatment. In the capital, rumors spread about his death. The people were jubilant. Several young men in the Temple cast off a golden eagle, symbolizing devotion to Rome.
This act did not go unpunished. The young people were detained and executed. On March 12, 4 BC, the night after their execution, the inhabitants of Judea observed a total lunar eclipse. According to some historians, it was on that night that Herod died.
The English preacher and historian F. Farrar put forward the assumption that the ruler of Judea died "from a disgusting disease, which in history meets only with people who disgraced themselves with bloodthirstiness and cruelty." According to the Russian writer and doctor A. P. Chekhov, Herod suffered from gonorrhea, the complications of which led to death.
This version was disputed by D. Hirschmann, professor at the University of Washington. He stated that Herod died as a result of chronic kidney disease. As is known from history, in the last days of his life, the suffering caused by illness pushed Herod to crazy actions. He ordered the execution of his eldest son and heir, which was done immediately.
Only Herod's last order for the execution of most of the court officials was not carried out.
Not guilty
Herod was an extraordinary and controversial person. Cunning, injustice and ruthlessness were inherent in him. After all, he sometimes calmly ordered the execution of not only his subjects, but even his loved ones. At the same time, he was smart, courageous and truly great.
During the reign of Herod, the Jewish land flourished. Every year she became more and more independent from Rome. The property expanded, and many incredible buildings appeared. For all the achievements of Herod I can rightfully be called the Great.
What about the biblical parable? Having studied the life of Herod I, it is safe to say that he was not involved in the mass murder of infants, which Matthew tells about. And the main argument here - Herod I died a few years before the birth of Jesus Christ …
Dmitry LOBODYANKO