Mattathias and Geography
HEROD and the
HASMONEANS
New
Testament History
d. 166 BC
Alexandra
Salome
John
Simon
Judas
Eliezer
Jonathan
d. 160 BC
High Priest
142-135 BC
High Priest
165-162 BC
d. 162 BC
High Priest
d. 166 BC
John Hyrcanus I
Mattathias
Judah
Ruled
134-104 BC
d. 134 BC
d. 134 BC
Aristobulus I
Alexander Janneus
Antigonus
Absalom
Ruled
104-103 BC
Ruled
103-76 BC
d. 107 BC
?
Ruled
76-67 BC
Antipater
Hyrcanus II
Aristobulus II
High Priest / King
75-66, 63-40 BC
Ruled (POMPEY)
66-63 BC
Alexandra
HEROD
the Great
Phasaelus
Ruled 37-4 BC
Alexander
d. 53 BC
Mariamne I
Married to
Herod the Great
Contested
the Throne
Antigonus
Ruled
(UNDER PARTHIANS)
40-37 BC
HEROD AGRIPPA II
ANTIPATER
New
Testament
History
and Geography
Doris
ANTIPATER
AD 50 – 92
48 – 43 BC
“Procurator of Judea”
Supporter of Hyrcanus II
37 BC - Divorced
II
Removed as Heir
***Last Herod!***
ARISTOBULUS
Mariamne (1)
HEROD
THE GREAT
PHASEAL
43 – 40 BC
“Tetrarch of Judea”
Killed during
Parthian invasion
Mariamne (2)
Malthake
Cleopatra
4 BC – AD 6
“Ethnarch of Judea”
Glaphyra
ALEXANDER
7 BC Executed
Hasmonean
5 BC – Divorced
Jewish
HEROD PHILIP
III
5 BC – Removed as Heir
AD 37 – 44
Bernice
Herodias
Glaphyra
Herodias
Salome
“of Jerusalem”
JUDEA, SAMARIA, AND IDUMEA
Archelaus
I
I
43 – 37 BC
“Tetrarch of Judea”
37 – 4 BC
“King of Judea”
Samaritan
Will
29 BC - Executed
Hasmonean
7 BC Executed
Hasmonean
HEROD AGRIPPA I
GALILEE AND PEREA
IV
Will
Herod Antipas
ITUREA AND TRACHONITIS
Will
Philip
4 BC – AD 36
“Tetrarch”
4 BC – AD 34
“Tetrarch”
Herodias
Salome
NT
HG
ITUREA
GALILEE
TRACHONITIS
Archelaus
“Ethnarch” of Judea,
Samaria, and Idumea
Herod Antipas
“Tetrarch” of
Galilee and Perea
Philip
“Tetrarch” of
Iturea and Trachonitas
SAMARIA
PEREA
JUDEA
IDUMEA
New Testament History and Geography
The Demise of Archelaus
Joint embassy of Jews and Samaritans complain of injustice
Archelaus is dismissed by Augustus and his estate is liquidated
Augustus Calls for another Census of Judea
This census was carried out by Quirinius, Governor of Syria
This apparently conflicts with Luke 2:2
A Jewish man from Gamala rebelled over this census (Acts 5:37)
This revolt was the beginning of the Zealots as a major party
New Testament History and Geography
Coponius as Governor (AD 6-9)
First Roman Prefect of Judea
Kept custody of High Priestly garments in Antonian Fortress
Seat of the Government is moved from Jerusalem to Caesarea
Roman governors resided in Jerusalem only during festivals
This is why Pilate is in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ trial
Samaritan uprising occurs during Coponius’s rule
Bones are spread in the sacred precincts of the Temple
This was likely an effort to defile the Jewish Temple in favor of their own
This adds to the Good Samaritan and the Samaritan woman at the well
New Testament History and Geography
Marcus Ambivius (AD 9-12)
Little is known
Name might have been “Amphiboulos”
Annius Rufus (AD 12-15)
In office when Augustus dies (August 19, AD 14)
Replaced when the new Emperor comes to power
New Testament History and Geography
Tiberius Claudius Nero/Tiberius Julius Caesar (AD 14-37)
Mother divorced Claudius Nero and married Caesar Augustus
Marcus Vispasianus Agrippa was originally the heir-apparent
Agrippa’s death put Tiberius next in line being the step-son
Note: Agrippa was close friends with Herod the Great
Tiberius was a good general but a bad emperor
It seems that Tiberius did not want to be Caesar
He moved to the Island of Capri after AD 26
Did not attend any meetings of the senate
Sejanus, his commander of the Praetorian Guard, governed for him
New Testament History and Geography
Sejanus and Tiberius
Sejanus was anti-Jewish in his policies and in practice
He expelled the Jews from Rome
He persecuted the Jews in Alexandria, Egypt
Sejanus is likely the one who appointed Pontius Pilate
Sejanus plotted to overthrow Tiberius in Tiberius’s absence
Tiberius finds out and returns to Rome and has Sejanus executed
Sejanus supporters are also interrogated and executed
This might explain why the Jewish reference to Pilate as not being a
“Friend of Caesar” was so effective in manipulating his decision during the
trial of Jesus since he was likely a supporter of Sejanus
New Testament History and Geography
The Change in Policy under Tiberius
Augustus switched governors every three years
Tiberius gave governors much longer terms (parable of the flies)
Valerius Gratus (AD 15-26)
Changed High Priest four times during his time as governor
The first High Priest he removed was Annas (Ananus in Josephus)
The last High Priest he chose was Joseph Caiaphas
Changing the High Priest was likely a means of gaining money
New Testament History and Geography
The Roman Standards Affair
Pilate secretly brought military standards into Jerusalem at night
The people protested, following him back to Caesarea
Pilate threatens to have them executed
The Jews gathered lay their necks bare for the executioner
Pilate, not wanting an early bloodbath, removed the standards
The Guilded Shields Affair
Pilate sought to dedicate Roman shields to be hung in the temple
Jews protest to Tiberius and Pilate is ordered to stand down
New Testament History and Geography
The Temple Aquaduct Affair
Pilate secures funds from temple treasury to build an aquaduct
The aquaduct was a great benefit to the temple
Pilate may even have done this as a political gesture of good will
Temple authorities saw it as a secular use of sacred funds
Crowds gather to protest and are forcibly broken up
This is likely what is referenced in Luke 13:1
New Testament History and Geography
Pilate and the Trial of Jesus
Sejanus, Pilate’s patron, falls from power in AD 31
Pilate’s fear of uprising and reprisals from Caesar may be due to his
insecurity following the execution of his patron
The better choice for the trial of Jesus between AD 30 and 33 would more
likely be the latter
Pilate is removed from power in AD 36
Tradition has him being exiled to Vienne in Gaul (France)
Tradition also has him committing suicide (sources are late)
New Testament History and Geography
Pilate and Archeology
Archeology had questioned the existance
of Pontius Pilate
An inscription found in Caesarea settled it
showing that Pilate was clearly historical
…STIBERIEVM
PONTI VSPILATVS
PRAEF ECTVSIVDE A
New Testament History and Geography
Emperor Caligula (AD 37-41)
“Caligula” means “little combat boots”
Nickname came from the mini uniform he wore as a child
Rise to Power
Son of Germanicus, a famous Roman general
Caesar Augustus was his mother’s grandfather
He was very popular with the people
He promised change from the unpopular reign of Tiberius
Note: One of his best friends was Herod Agrippa I (Herod of Acts 12)
New Testament History and Geography
Descent into Madness
Caligula did well in the first six months of his reign
He became deathly ill and came back a “new man”
Required the death of those who had promised their lives to the gods
should he recover
Appointed his sister as heir, breeding many rumors
Built the ultimate bridge to nowhere
Had himself deified while still alive and built a temple in his own honor
Deified his sister upon her untimely death
Entertained every form of immorality
New Testament History and Geography
Roman Governor of Judea
Marcellus (Marrullus), who was appointed by Tiberius
Caligula did not make changes to the governor of Judea
Military Achievements
Germania
Campaign is interrupted by conspiracy
Caligula executes some of his high officials and returns to Rome
Britania
Caligula marched his armies to the shores across from Britain
He orders his men to collect sea shells as spoil and returns to Rome
New Testament History and Geography
The Assassination of Caligula/Gaius
Stabbed by Three Praetorian Guards in a secluded hallway.
Some of the Senate were in on the assassination plot
Other members of the imperial line were also executed
Praetorian Guards placed Claudias into power
First of many power moves made by the Praetorian Guard
The Senate opposed Claudius at first
Herod Agrippa I helped to negotiate between the Claudius and the Senate