Antipas-Herod (I)

I. ANTIPAS-HEROD¹, or Herod Antipas, Son of Herod the Great, and one of his Wives call’d Cleopatra, a Native of Jerusalem. Herod the Great in his first Will declared him Successor to his Kingdom; but afterwards he changed his mind, and named Archelaus King of Judæa, giving to Antipas the Title only of Tetrarch of Galilee and Peræa. Archelaus the Son of Herod going to Rome, in order to persuade Augustus to confirm his Father’s Will, Antipas went thither likewise, and the Emperor gave Archelaus one Moiety of what had been assigned him by Herod’s will, with the quality of Ethnarch, promising to grant him the Title of King, as soon as he had shewn himself deserving of it by his Virtue. His Revenues amounted to six hundred Talents. As to Antipas, Augustus gave him Galilee and Peræa, which produced to him a Revenue of two hundred Talents. Lastly, he gave Philip, Herod’s other Son, the Batanæa, Trachonitis, and Auranitis, and some other places, the income whereof came to an hundred Talents².

Antipas returning to Judæa, took a great deal of pains in adorning and fortifying the principal places of his Dominions. He gave the name of Julias to Bethzaida in honour of Julia, the Wife of Augustus; and Cinnereth he called Tiberias in honour of Tiberius. He married the Daughter of Aretas King of Arabia, whom he divorced about the year of J.C. 33, to marry his Sister-in-law Herodias, Wife to his Brother Philip, who was still living³. S. John Matt. xiv. 3, 4. Mark i. 14. vi. 17, 18. Luke iii. 19, 20.Baptist exclaiming continually against this Incest, was taken into custody by order of Antipas, and imprisoned in the Castle of Machærus. Josephus says, Antipas caused S. John to be laid hold of, because he drew too great a concourse of People after him, and that he was afraid lest he should make use of the Authority, which he had acquired over the minds and affections of the People, to induce them to revolt against him. But Josephus has taken the pretence for the true Cause. The Evangelists, who were better informed than he, since they were Eye-witnesses of what passed, and were acquainted in a particular manner with S. John and his Disciples, assure us, that the true Reason of imprisoning S. John was the Aversion which Herod and Herodias had conceived against him, on the score of that Liberty he used in censuring their scandalous Marriage.

Matt. xiv. 5, 6, &c.The Virtue and Holiness of St. John were such, that even Herod feared and respected him, and did many things out of the regard he had for him. But his Passion for Herodias had prevailed with him to kill him, had he not been restrained by his apprehensions of the People, who esteemed John-Baptist as a Prophet. One day while the King was celebrating the Festival of his Birth with the principal Persons of his Court, the Daughter of Herodias danced before him, and pleased him so well, that he promised with an Oath to give her whatever she should ask of him. She went to her Mother to learn of her what it might be proper for her to desire upon this occasion, and Herodias’s Advice to her was, to ask nothing but the Head of John the Baptist. At her return therefore to the Hall, she addressed herself to the King and said, Give me now immediately to have the Title of King and High Priest, and Hircanus to continue quietly at home, and enjoy his fortune with tranquillity⁴. Antipater fearing the power and enterprizing humour of Aristobulus, and besides having been for a long time secretly his enemy, was always animating the most powerful of the Jews against him, and solliciting Hircanus to recover those privileges which Aristobulus had unjustly robb’d him of. He represented to him, that his life was not safe at Jerusalem, and offer’d to provide a secure retreat for him in Arabia, with Aretas Antipater’s good friend⁵.

When he was arrived there, Antipater press’d Aretas to re-establish him in his dominions, and Hircanus promised, that if he did, he would restore twelve Cities to him, which his Father Alexander Jan-næus had taken from the Arabians. Aretas hereupon marched against Aristobulus, and overcame him. Aristobulus, forsaken by the greatest part of his Troops, retired to Jerusalem and the Temple, where he was for some time besieged by Aretas. In the mean while Pompey having sent Scaurus into Syria, and coming thither himself soon after in person, Hircanus and Aristobulus both went to Damascus, to justify their conduct to him. Antipater on all occasions strongly supported the party of Hircanus; and Pompey, without declaring openly either for one side or the other, dismissed them, telling them that he should be going very soon into their Country, and that there he would put an end to their dispute. He came accordingly, took Jerusalem, and carried Aristobulus and his Children prisoners to Rome. But Alexander the Son of Aristobulus having escaped out of the hands of those who had the charge of him, returned into Judæa, and had raised new troubles there, if Antipater, with the Roman Soldiers that were in the Province, had not opposed him⁶.

During the war which Julius Cæsar carried on in Egypt⁷, Antipater did him very great services, by accompanying Mithridates of Pergamus, who brought him succours from Syria. He engaged the Jews of Egypt to declare for him, and to give him all the assistance they were able; and in the battle, which was fought in the Delta⁸, Antipater commanded the left wing, and came so seasonably to the aid of Mithridates, who had the command of the right wing, that without him the battle had been lost. Cæsar was so obliged to Antipater for the important service which he had done him upon this occasion, that he gave Hircanus the office of High Priest, offered Antipater what government he pleased, and gave him the administration of Judæa. He permitted likewise Hircanus, at the request of Antipater, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and appointed a rescript to be drawn up for this purpose in terms which were very much to the honour of Hircanus and the Jewish Nation.

As soon as Antipater returned to Jerusalem, he took care to have the City walls rebuilt⁹, which had been demolished by Pompey’s orders, and procured the government of Jerusalem, and the Country round about, for his eldest Son Phasael; and the government of Galilee for his other Son Herod, who was not then above fifteen years of age. After the death of Julius Cæsar, Cassius, one of his murderers, came into Judæa, and exacted great sums of money of the Provinces. Antipater, like an expert Politician, so managed matters that his Sons Herod and Phasael were some of the most diligent to supply what was required of them: he contributed an hundred talents out of his own purse, to compleat the sum which was demanded; whereby he very much gained the affections of the Romans¹⁰ But Malichus, who was employed in levying this Tax, conceived so much jealousy against Antipater, that he resolved to put him to death. Antipater distrusted him, and got some Troops together to enable him to defend himself. Malichus affirmed with many oaths, that he had formed no ill design against Antipater, and pretended to be reconciled with him, by the mediation of Marcus Governour of Syria.

But this was all done only the better to conceal the snares which he was laying for him. He corrupted Hircanus’s Cup-bearer, and engaged him to give Antipater a In the Year of the World 3961. before J.C. 39. before the vulgar Æra 43.cup of poison, while they were together at this Prince’s table. As soon as Antipater was dead, Malichus took possession of the Government of Jerusalem, and denied strongly that he was any way concerned in procuring his death. Herod and Phasael made as if they believed him; but in a little time after he was killed by their directions near Tyre, to revenge the murder of their Father¹¹.

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