Herod the Great

Herod , also known as Herod the Great and Herod I, was a Roman client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. The history of his legacy has polarized opinion, as he is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem , the construction of the port at Caesarea Maritima, the fortress at Masada and Herodium. Vital details of his life are recorded in the works of the 1st century CE RomanJewish historian Josephus. Herod also appears in the Christian New Testament as the ruler of Judea who orders the Massacre of the Innocents at the time of the birth of Jesus. Despite his successes, including singlehandedly forging a new aristocracy from practically nothing, he still garnered criticism from various historians. His reign polarizes opinion amongst scholars and historians, some viewing his legacy as evidence of success, or a reminder of his tyrannical rule.

It is generally accepted that Herod was born around 74 BCE in Idumea, south of Judea. However, some authors think that he was born in about 7271 BCE. He was the second son of Antipater the Idumaean, a highranked official under ethnarch Hyrcanus II, and Cypros, a Nabatean. Herods father was by descent an Edomite whose ancestors had converted to Judaism. Herod was raised as a Jew.

Source: Wikipedia