HEROD AND HIS FAMILY.
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had been given recognition as a sort of procurator over Judea, and had been awarded Roman citizenship. From his marriage with the Arabian Cypros there were four sons, Phasael, Herod, Joseph, and Phreroras, and a daughter Salome. For Herod an Essene named Menahem prophesied the kingship. When Herod was only twenty-five years of age his father had him made governor of Galilee, where he showed his energy by capturing a brigand and executing him. During a contest with the sanhedrin over prerogatives, Sextus Caesar appointed him governor of Coele-Syria (q.v.), while the kingship was also promised to him.
Herod's standing with the people was very insecure, and after the withdrawal of Cassius a revolt
resulted in which Antigonus Mattaa. The thias, son of Aristobulus, assisted by
Winning Marion of Tyre, attempted to assert of His his rights to the throne. Herod's Kingdom. energy was too great, however, and
Marion was compelled to retreat, while Antigonus was defeated. To improve his status Herod divorced his wife Doris and sent away her son Antipater, betrothing himself to Mariamne, granddaughter of Hyrcanus, thus entering the family of the Hasmoneans. It seemed as if his plans were defeated when the Republicans, with whose party he had been affiliated, were beaten by Antony and Octavian at Philippi. But Antony was favorably inclined toward Herod on account of earlier hospitable relationship with Antipater. A crisis was precipitated through an attack of the Parthians during which Phasael, who had been made king of Jerusalem, committed suicide and another brother of Herod was taken prisoner by the Parthians, while Antigonus was placed on the throne. Herod fled to Rome, gained the help of Antony and Augustus, and was declared by the Senate king of Judea-a kingdom which had yet to be won. He landed in Ptolemais, speedily collected a considerable army of Jews and foreigners, and gradually gained the mastery. A decisive victory over Antigonus at Isana in Samaria opened the way to Jerusalem. While the preparations for the siege were under way Herod celebrated his marriage with Mariamne; this done, he returned, and with the help of the Romans took the city within three months. After the withdrawal of his allies he began his reign, which falls into three periods.
The first period was one of contest with dangers without and within. He excited mistrust by getting
rid of forty-five of the adherents of 3. First Antigonus. The aged Hyrcanus caused Period of him anxiety, so he had him brought His Reign, to the court where he could keep him 37-27 B.C. under observation. Through the in-
trigues of his mother-in-law Alexandra with Antony and Cleopatra, he was compelled to set aside a Babylonian Jew whom he had made high priest in favor of Aristobulus, then seventeen years old, consequently his mistrust of them was strengthened and grew, especially after their unsuccessful attempt at flight. The favor of the people for Aristobulus openly manifested led Herod to have him drowned in a bath (35 B.c.). He was summoned to answer for this before Antony, but escaped with-
out punishment. During this journey he left Mariamnein care of his uncle Joseph with instructions to kill Mariamne in case the trial went against him. She learned this and her love for him turned to hate. Joseph had married his sister Salome, who charged him before Herod with misconduct with Mariamne, and Joseph was executed. Cleopatra, drawn into these family difficulties, desired to have possession of Palestine; Antony, therefore, compelled Herod to cede to her the rich district around Jericho and pay her tribute for it. She also brought it about that Herod was commanded by Antony to assail a king of the Arabs who had not paid the tribute due to her. This, however, he turned to advantage. His troops, dispirited by an earthquake, he encouraged to the attack and won a notable victory. This campaign kept him from participation in the defeat of Antony and won him the favor of Augustus. After putting Hyrcanus out of the way, he went to pay court to Augustus at Rhodes, and the latter assured to him his kingdom. Services rendered to Augustus during his march to Egypt resulted in the material enlargement of that kingdom. But during his absence at Rhodes he had given Mariamne into the charge of a certain Iturean named Soemus with the same command as he had given to Joseph, with the result that Mariamne learned also of this second offense against her. Again Salome instilled into Herod's mind suspicions against his wife, Soemus was put to death, Mariamne was tried and also condemned to death. During excesses, in which he sought to drown recollection of the wife he had so passionately loved that he could not endure the thought of another's possessing her, reports came of intrigues of Alexandra to supplant him, and he had her put to death as well as Costobar, the second husband of Salome. Thus his dangerous foes were removed, and political as well as domestic difficulties vanished from his path (27 n.c.).
The second period was marked by great building operations and by displays of wealth and magnificence. He erected a theater in Jeru-
¢. Second salem in which, and in the amphi-Period, theater constructed in the valley, a7-r4 B.C. were celebrated every fourth year the deeds of Caesar. All this so offended the Jews that ten Arameans conspired to kill the king in the amphitheater, but the plot was discovered and the plotters executed. His policy then was to prevent rebellion. His palace overawed the upper city, and the fortress of Antonia menaced the temple and its district. Samaria he named Sebaste, intending to fortify it, and built Cæsarea on the site of Straton's Tower. After he had intimidated the people with these and other fortifications, a famine gave him opportunity to attempt to win the people over by liberality and practical measures of relief with the purpose of taking up again his works of display. Before his marriage with a second Mariamne, daughter of a priest, he built a beautiful palace for himself in the upper city and also the castle named after himself the Herodium. He also extended the works at Cæsarea. Herod gave assistance to lElius Gallus, proconsul of Egypt, in an Arabian campaign, sent his sons by
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