Herod the Great: Statesman, Visionary, Tyrant

by Norman Gelb

Overview

Herod the Great, king of ancient Judea, was a brutal, ruthless, vindictive and dangerously high-strung tyrant. He had many of his subjects killed on suspicion of plotting against him and was accused of slaughtering children in Bethlehem when informed that a new king of the Jews had been born there. Among the victims of the murderous paranoia that ultimately drove him to the brink of insanity were his three oldest sons and the wife he loved most. But there was a crucial aspect to Herod’s character that has been largely ignored over the centuries. Norman Gelb explores how Herod transformed his formerly strive-ridden kingdom into a modernizing, economically thriving, orderly state of international significance and repute within the sprawling Roman Empire. This reassessment of Herod as ruler of Judaea introduces a striking contrast between a ruler’s infamy and his extraordinary laudable achievements. As this account shows, despite his horrific failings and ultimate mental unbalance, Herod was a fascinatingly complex, dynamic, and largely constructive statesman, a figure of great public accomplishment and one of the most underrated personalities of ancient times. History buffs and those interested in popular ancient history can are introduced to this ruthless tyrant and his victims.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810895256
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/30/2017
Pages:	1
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Norman Gelb is the author of a number of acclaimed books, including Kings of the Jews: The Origins of the Jewish Nation. He is a historian and freelance writer, who periodically contributes to publications such as Smithsonian magazine.

Table of Contents

Principal Characters ix

Timeline xi

Preface xv

Introduction: The Making of Herod the Great 1

1 Beginnings 17

2 The Road to Jerusalem 37

3 Securing the Throne 47

4 A New Start 75

5 Cultural Divide 95

6 Palace Intrigue 101

7 Crisis 117

8 The End Looms 127

9 Closure 137

10 Herod: The Image 141

11 Herod's Heirs 145

12 The Other Herodians 157

Afterword: The Dawn of Christianity 181

Notes 193

Select Bibliography 201

Index 203

About the Author 209

What People are Saying About This

Jodi Magness

This book accurately portrays the turbulent life and times of King Herod the Great in a highly readable and engaging manner. Fast-paced and clearly written, it will appeal to a broad audience.

Editorial Reviews

This book accurately portrays the turbulent life and times of King Herod the Great in a highly readable and engaging manner. Fast-paced and clearly written, it will appeal to a broad audience.

From the Publisher

In 2010, historian Gelb (Dunkirk: The Complete Story in the First Step in the Defeat of Hitler) switched subjects, moving from World War II to the line of Jewish kings, examining the 52 monarchs who ruled until 70 CE. He offers an in-depth analysis of one of those kings, Herod the Great, appointed king of Judea by the Romans in 37 BCE, holding the office for more than 30 years until he died. Most of what we know about Herod is from the historian Josephus, who was born forty years after Herod died. Josephus and other ancient chroniclers depicted Herod as cold, calculating, cruel, and brutal. He mistrusted most of his ten wives and sons, executing at least one of the wives and a number of the sons, fearing that they were trying to replace him. Despite Herod's dark streak and mental instability, Gelb tries to revamp the monarch's image, stressing the cities and structures he built, including his reconstruction of the Temple, and asserting that "his positive achievements may be considered to have outweighed his brutality and tyrannical rule." This is an exemplary illustration of revisionist history. (May)

Publishers Weekly

This book is more than a biography of Herod; it tells the history of the Greco-Roman world in classical antiquity and the emergence of early Christianity. Gelb attempts at presenting a balanced picture of Herod, who is known largely for his cruelty (he killed members of his own family!); yet, the Idumean who was appointed by the Romans as King of Judaea had many facets to his personality. Gelb examines Herod’s cruelty and paranoia, his genius as a builder and architect, his cunning and cleverness as a diplomat and his able work as an administrator. The book actually goes beyond Herod’s reign to the reign of his great grandson, Marcus Julius Agrippa: 'the last king of the Herodian dynasty and the last king of the Jews though he never became king of Judaea.' There is a bibliography, notes and an index. The book will be enjoyed by anyone who likes to read about classical antiquity. Herod the Great is especially recommended for anyone traveling to Israel because a vast majority of the ancient tourist sites that you visit where originally constructed by Herod—Tower of David Citadel, Masada, Caesarea, etc.

Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews

This book accurately portrays the turbulent life and times of King Herod the Great in a highly readable and engaging manner. Fast-paced and clearly written, it will appeal to a broad audience.

Jodi Magness

Herod wasn’t called great because he was such a swell guy. In fact, history has treated him quite roughly and justifiably so. According to the New Testament, he ordered the murder of young boys to make sure there would be no Jewish messiah. And he played a part in the graphic story of John the Baptist’s head landing on a platter. Killing beloved relatives was also part of his repertoire. But Gelb, who has written extensively on Jewish history, aims for a more rounded portrait of the Jewish king. While not disputing any of the charges, he also focuses on a different part of Herod’s legacy: his ability to transform and rebuild Judea. In a highly readable fashion, he traces Herod’s rise to power, his ability to appease the winning side in the high-stakes politics of Rome, the importance of his public-works programs, his political machinations (which often ended in murder), and the reasons his actions often irritated and incited the Jewish population. This account not only delivers a full portrait of a historically important figure but also offers much about the political and religious history of the time.

Booklist

Herod wasn’t called great because he was such a swell guy. In fact, history has treated him quite roughly and justifiably so. According to the New Testament, he ordered the murder of young boys to make sure there would be no Jewish messiah. And he played a part in the graphic story of John the Baptist’s head landing on a platter. Killing beloved relatives was also part of his repertoire. But Gelb, who has written extensively on Jewish history, aims for a more rounded portrait of the Jewish king. While not disputing any of the charges, he also focuses on a different part of Herod’s legacy: his ability to transform and rebuild Judea. In a highly readable fashion, he traces Herod’s rise to power, his ability to appease the winning side in the high-stakes politics of Rome, the importance of his public-works programs, his political machinations (which often ended in murder), and the reasons his actions often irritated and incited the Jewish population. This account not only delivers a full portrait of a historically important figure but also offers much about the political and religious history of the time.

Booklist

This account not only delivers a full portrait of a historically important figure but also offers much about the political and religious history of the time.

Booklist Online