User:Jon513/HerodSandbox

Early Years
When Herod became king of Judaea in 37 BCE he was in a very precarious situation. Herod knew that the Romans usually appointed kings from the royal family and Herod has no claim except through his wife, Marriamme, and feared being replaced by a Hasmonean. In order to secure his throne his killed forty five Hasmonean supporters and confiscated their wealth.

Herod appointed Hananel as high priest, passing over his brother-in-law, Aristobulus III of Judea the logical choice, for fear that he would use the position to gain power. Nevertheless soon afterward he reneged and appointed Aristobulus, possibility because of an appeal to Cleopathra by Alexandra, or because he felt that the time it was better to keep him close. When Aristobolus was met with great enthusiasm on the Festival of Tabernacles in 36 BCE, Herod decided to have him killed. On Herod orders Aristobolus was drowned and made to look like an accident. Hananel was reappointed in his place.

30s BC

 * 39–37 BC — War against Antigonus.  After the conquest of Jerusalem and victory over  Antigonus, Mark Antony executes  Antigonus.


 * 36 BC — Herod makes his 17-year-old brother-in-law, Aristobulus III of Judea, high priest, fearing that the Jews would appoint Aristobulus III of Judea "king of the Jews" in his place.


 * 35 BC — Aristobulus III of Judea is drowned at a party, on Herod's orders.


 * 32 BC — The war against Nabatea begins, with victory one year later.


 * 31 BC — Judea suffers a devastating earthquake. Octavian defeats Mark Antony, so Herod switches allegiance to Octavian, later known as Augustus.


 * 30 BC — Herod is shown great favour by Octavian, who at Rhodes confirms him as King of Judaea.

20s BC

 * 29 BC — Josephus writes that Herod had great passion and also great jealousy concerning his wife, Mariamne I. She learns of Herod's plans to murder her, and stops sleeping with him. Herod puts her on trial on a charge of adultery. His sister, Salome I, was chief witness against her. Mariamne I's mother Alexandra made an appearance and incriminated her own daughter. Historians say her mother was next on Herod's list to be executed and did this only to save her own life. Mariamne was executed, and Alexandra declared herself Queen, stating that Herod was mentally unfit to serve. Josephus wrote that this was Alexandra's strategic mistake; Herod executed her without trial.


 * 28 BC — Herod executed his brother-in-law Kostobar (husband of Salome, father to Berenice) for conspiracy. Large festival in Jerusalem, as Herod had built a Theatre and an Amphitheatre.


 * 27 BC — An assassination attempt on Herod was foiled. To honour Augustus, Herod rebuilt Samaria and renamed it Sebaste.


 * 25 BC — Herod imported grain from Egypt and started an aid programme to combat the widespread hunger and disease that followed a massive drought. He also waives a third of the taxes.


 * 23 BC — Herod built a palace in Jerusalem and the fortress Herodion (Herodium) in Judaea. He married his third wife, Mariamne II, the daughter of high priest Simon.


 * 22 BC — Herods began construction on Caesarea Maritima and its harbour. The Roman emperor Augustus grants him the regions Trachonitis, Batanaea and Auranitis to the north-east of Judaea.


 * Circa 20 BC — Expansion started on the Second Temple. (See Herod's Temple)

10s BC

 * Circa 18 BC — Herod traveled for the second time to Rome.


 * 14 BC — Herod supported the Jews in Anatolia and Cyrene. Owing to the prosperity in Judaea he waived a quarter of the taxes.


 * 13 BC — Herod made his first-born son Antipater (his son by Doris) first heir in his will.


 * 12 BC — Herod suspected both his sons (from his marriage to Mariamne I) Alexander and Aristobulus of threatening his life. He took them to Aquileia to be tried. Augustus reconciled the three. Herod supported the financially strapped Olympic Games and ensured their future. Herod amended his will so that Alexander and Aristobulus rose in the royal succession, but Antipater would be higher in the succession.


 * Circa 10 BC — The newly expanded temple in Jerusalem was inaugurated. War against the Nabateans began.

0s BC

 * 9 BC — Caesarea Maritima was inaugurated. Owing to the course of the war against the Nabateans, Herod fell into disgrace with Augustus. Herod again suspected Alexander of plotting to kill him.


 * 8 BC — Herod accused his sons by Mariamne I of high treason. Herod reconciled with Augustus, which also gave him the permission to proceed legally against his sons.


 * 7 BC — The court hearing took place in Berytos (Beirut) before a Roman court. Mariamne I's sons were found guilty and executed. The succession changed so that Antipater was the exclusive successor to the throne. In second place the succession incorporated (Herod) Philip, his son by Mariamne II.


 * 6 BC — Herod proceeded against the Pharisees.


 * 5 BC — Antipater was brought before the court charged with the intended murder of Herod. Herod, by now seriously ill, named his son (Herod) Antipas (from his fourth marriage with Malthace) as his successor.


 * 4 BC — Young disciples smashed the golden eagle over the main entrance of the Temple of Jerusalem after the Pharisee teachers claimed it was an idolatrous Roman symbol. Herod arrested them, brought them to court, and sentenced them. Augustus approved the death penalty for Antipater. Herod then executed his son, and again changed his will: Archelaus (from the marriage with Malthace) would rule as king over Herod's entire kingdom, while Antipas (by Malthace) and Philip (from the fifth marriage with Cleopatra of Jerusalem) would rule as Tetrarchs over Galilee and Peraea (Transjordan), also over Gaulanitis (Golan), Trachonitis (Hebrew: Argob), Batanaea (now Ard-el-Bathanyeh) and Panias. As Augustus did not confirm his will, no one got the title of King; however, the three sons did get the stated territories.