Herodian Political Office
&
Political Patronage


K. C. Hanson


The following members of the Herodian family held political office. The information is based on the writings of Josephus, the New Testament, and Roman sources. Some of the patrons listed are specifically mentioned in the ancient sources and others are implied.

NAMES & DATES
.

TITLE/S
.

REGION/S
.

PATRON/S
.

DEATH
.

Antipas
?–? BCE

(Herod's grandfather)
stratêgos
Idumea
Alexander Janneus
?
Antipater
?–43 BCE

(Herod's father)
epimeletês 48–43 BCE
& epitropos
Palestine
Gabinus
Julius Caesar
Hyrcannus I
poisoned by
Malichus
Joseph
c. 75–35 BCE

(Herod's brother)
stratêgos 43–35 BCE
Idumea
& Gaza
Mark Antony
executed
by Herod
Phasaelus
75–40 BCE

(Herod's brother)
stratêgos 46 BCE
Judea &
Samaria
Mark Antony
suicide
Herod the Great
73–4 BCE
stratêgos 46–43 BCE
tetrachês 43–40 BCE
basileus 38–4 BCE
Coele-Syria
Galilee & Perea
Palestine
Sextus
Mark Antony
Augustus & Livia
illness
Salome
c. 68 BCE—10 CE

(Herod's sister)
despoina
4–10 CE
Jamnia, Azotus,
& Phasaelis
Augustus & Livia
old age
Pheroras
c. 68–5 BCE

(Herod's brother)
tetrarchês
20–5 BCE
Perea
Herod &
Augustus
illness
Archelaus
c. 45 BCE—18 CE

(Herod's son)
ethnarchês
4 BCE—6 CE
Judea
(including Samaria and Idumea)
Augustus
exiled to Gaul
(6 CE)
(Herod) Antipas
20 BCE—40? CE

(Herod's son)
tetrarchês
4 BCE—39 CE
Galilee & Perea
Augustus
Tiberius
exiled to Gaul
(39 CE)
(Herod) Philip
? BCE—34 CE

(Herod's son)
tetrarchês
4 BCE—34 CE
northern territories
Augustus
Tiberius
old age
Tigranes V [Dikran]
?–36 CE

(Herod's grandson)
basileus
15–36 CE
Greater Armenia
Augustus
Tiberius
executed by
Tiberius
Herod of Chalcis
? BCE—49 CE
ethnarchês
41–48 CE
Chalcis
Claudius
?
Herod Agrippa I
10 BCE—44CE
tetrarchês 39–41 CE
basileus 41–44 CE
Galilee & Perea
Palestine
Caligula
Claudius
illness
(Marcus Julius)
Herod Agrippa II

27–92 CE
basileus
49–53 CE
Chalcis, Galilee & Perea
Claudius
Nero
Vespasian
Titus
old age?
Aristobulus of Chalcis
?–92 CE
basileus
53–92 CE
Armenia minor 53–72
Chalcis 72–92 CE
Nero
Vespasian
old age?
Tigranes VI [Dikran]
25?–68? CE
basileus
58–63 CE
Greater Armenia
Domitus Corbulo
Nero
?
Gaius Julius Alexander
c. 45–110
ethnarchês, 58–72 CE
Consul of Rome c. 108 CE
Cetis
Rome
Vespasian
Trajan
?
Gaius Julius
Agrippa Julianus

c. 72–150
Propraetorian Quaestor
c. 105 CE
Asia
Trajan
?
Gaius Julius
Alexander Berenianicus

c. 75–150
Roman senator, 94– CE
Suffect Consul of Rome, c. 116 CE
Proconsul of Asia, 132–133 CE
Rome
Trajan
?

DEFINITIONS:

    Basileus: a client-king

    Consul: one of the two chief magistrates and primary admistrators in Rome for two or four months; the year was named for the ordinary consul; but if the consul died in office, a interim consul (suffect consul) was voted in to replace the ordinary

    Despoina: the feminine form of despotês "ruler"

    Epimeletês: one of the many terms for governor

    Epitropos: one of the many terms for governor

    Ethnarchês: literally "a ruler of a people," it was a term for a ruler with less status and power than a client-king

    Proconsul: a Roman governor who was appointed over a province for one year

    Propraetorian Quaester: a Roman adminstrator who acted on behalf of a Praetor

    Stratêgos: originally it referred to a general, but came to be used for a governor

    Tetrachês: a regional ruler with less power and status than a client-king or ethnarch



SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Braund, David C. "Herodian Dynasty." In Anchor Bible Dictionary 3:173–74. Ed. D. N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

    Goodman, Martin. The Ruling Class of Judaea: The Origins of the Jewish Revolt against Rome A.D. 66–70. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1987.

    Hanson, K. C. and Douglas E. Oakman. Palestine in the Time of Jesus: Social Structures and Social Conflicts. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998.

    Levine, Lee I. "Herod the Great." In Anchor Bible Dictionary 3:161–69. Ed. D. N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

    Richardson, Peter. Herod: King of the Jews and Friend of the Romans. Personalities of the New Testament. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998.

    Schürer, Emil. The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ. 3 vols. Revised and edited by G. Vermes, F. Millar, and M. Black. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1973–87.

    Smallwood, E. Mary. The Jews Under Roman Rule from Pompey to Diocletian: A Study in Political Relations. 2nd ed. Studies in Judaism in Late Antiqutiy 20. Leiden: Brill, 1980.

    Sullivan, R. D. "The Dynasty of Judaea in the First Century." In Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt II.8, 296–354. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1977.



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Last Modified: 10 August 2015