Herod, Roman-appointed king of Judea (37-4 BCE), who built many fortresses, aqueducts, theaters, and other public buildings but who was the center of political and family intrigues in his later years. The New Testament portrays him as a tyrant, into whose kingdom Jesus of Nazareth was born. Herod I[2][a] or Herod the Great (c.
72 - c. 4 BCE) was a Roman Jewish client king of the Herodian kingdom of Judea. [3][4][5] He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea.
Among these works are the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the expansion of its base [6][7][8]. One of the central figures in the Christmas story is Herod the Great. But who was this man? And why was he so hostile to the news of the birth of Jesus? Once he was king, Herod launched an ambitious building program, both in Jerusalem and the spectacular port city of Caesarea, named after the emperor.
He restored the magnificent Jerusalem temple, which was later destroyed by the Romans following a rebellion in A.D. 70. The biblical story of Herod the Great is told in Matthew 2:1-22; Luke 1:5.
Herod the Great was a king who ruled Judea under the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus' birth. He is mainly remembered for the episode of the Massacre of the Innocents. Upon hearing that the "King of the Jews" had been born, he felt threatened and, in an attempt to kill Jesus, ordered the death of all boys in Bethlehem up to two years old.
Most Christians know of King Herod only because of Matthew 2 and its account of the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem, all male children two years and under. Yet, there was much more to Herod the Great than just that single event. His back story includes famous names like Pompey, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Emperor Augustus.
He had a continuous challenge for acceptance among the Jews. Understanding who King Herod was and the role he played in the nativity narrative grants deeper insights into the historical and theological context of the Christmas story. The Historical Context of King Herod Herod the Great was born around 73 BC and became king of Judea in 37 BC, a position he held until his death in 4 BC.
Herod I, or Herod the Great (c. 75 - 4 BCE), was the king of Judea who ruled as a client of Rome. He has gained lasting infamy as the 'slaughterer of the innocents' as recounted in the New Testament 's book of Mathew.
Herod was, though, a gifted administrator, and in his 33-year reign, he was responsible for many major building works which included a rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem. Herod ruled Judea from 37 BC. The Bible says he initiated a murder of all the infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to get rid of the baby Jesus.
The Romans appointed King Herod as King of Judea in. King Herod I was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renovation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the development of the Temple Mount towards its north.
Important details of his life are documented in the writings of the 1st.