King Herod: a Persecuted Persecutor: A Case Study in Psychohistory and Psychobiography

535 Pages·2006·5.299 MB·English

by  Aryeh Kasher

KING HEROD: A PERSECUTED PERSECUTOR
≥
STUDIA JUDAICA
FORSCHUNGEN ZUR WISSENSCHAFT
DES JUDENTUMS
HERAUSGEGEBEN VON
E. L. EHRLICH UND G. STEMBERGER
BAND XXXVI
WALTER DE GRUYTER · BERLIN · NEW YORK
KING HEROD:
A PERSECUTED PERSECUTOR
A CASE STUDY IN PSYCHOHISTORY
AND PSYCHOBIOGRAPHY
BY
ARYEH KASHER
IN COLLABORATIONWITH
ELIEZER WITZTUM
TRANSLATEDBY KAREN GOLD
WALTER DE GRUYTER · BERLIN · NEW YORK
ThetranslationwassupportedbytheRosenbergSchoolofJewishStudies
and the Research Authority at Tel-Aviv University, and by the Research
Authority at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev.
(cid:2)(cid:2) Printedonacid-freepaperwhichfallswithintheguidelinesoftheANSI
toensurepermanenceanddurability.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Kasher,Aryeh.
[Hordus.English]
KingHerod :apersecutedpersecutor :acase studyinpsychohi-
story and psychobiography / by Aryeh Kasher in collaboration
withEliezerWitztum;translatedbyKarenGold.
p.cm.− (StudiaJudaica;Bd.36)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-3-11-018964-3(cloth:alk.paper)
1.Herod I, King of Judea, 73-4 B.C. 2.Herod I, King of
Judea,73-4B.C.−Psychology. 3.Jews−History−586B.C.-70A.D.
I.Witztum,Eliezer. II.Title.
DS122.3.K2613 2006
933’.05092−dc22
[B] 2007003428
ISBN: 978-3-11-018964-3
ISSN 0585-5306
BibliographicinformationpublishedbytheDeutscheNationalbibliothek
TheDeutscheNationalbibliothekliststhispublicationintheDeutscheNationalbibliografie;
detailedbibliographicdataareavailableintheInternetathttp://dnb.d-nb.de.
(cid:2) Copyright2007byWalterdeGruyterGmbH&Co.KG,D-10785Berlin
Allrightsreserved,includingthoseoftranslationintoforeignlanguages.Nopartofthisbook
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
includingphotocopy,recordingoranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermis-
sioninwritingfromthepublisher.
PrintedinGermany
CoverDesign:ChristopherSchneider
Typesetting:OLD-MediaOHG
Printingandbinding:Hubert&Co.GmbH&CO.KG,Göttingen
Table of Contents
Foreword ......................................... xi
Preface ........................................... xvii
Acknowledgements.................................. xix
Introduction
Methodology.................................... 1
Psychopathological Aspects of Herod ................. 12
Chapter 1
Residues of Childhood in the Late Hasmonaean Period
(73/72–63 BCE)
Herod’s Origins and Their Impact on His Personality..... 18
Political Ambitions since Childhood.................. 24
Chapter 2
Adolescence in the Shadow of the Roman Conquest
(63–42 BCE)
Consolidation of Power in the House of Antipater ....... 34
Appointment as Strategos of Galilee, and Trial before San-
hedrin (47–46 BCE) .............................. 39
Political Acrobatics Following the Murder of Julius Caesar 45
Betrothal to Mariamme the Hasmonaean (42 BCE) ...... 51
Chapter 3
From the Utmost Depths to the Conquest of Jerusalem
(41–37 BCE)
In the Shadow of the Parthian Invasion................ 57
The Rift between Herod and the Nabateans............ 64
Herod is Crowned in Rome as King of Judaea .......... 65
The War against Mattathias Antigonus................ 72
vi Table of Contents
Chapter 4
Herod in the First Year of His Reign (37 BCE)
Conquest of Jerusalem ............................ 84
Execution of Mattathias Antigonus................... 86
Marriage to Mariamme the Hasmonaean.............. 92
New Arrangements in Conquered Jerusalem............ 99
Chapter 5
Roots and Ramifications of the Hasmonaean Trauma
(37–34 BCE)
The Problem of John Hyrcanus II .................... 101
The Murder of Aristobulus III....................... 104
Alexandra and Cleopatra’s Influence on Antony Regarding
the Laodicea Meeting ............................. 113
Construction of Masada as a Palace-Fortress ........... 116
The First Rift with Mariamme the Hasmonaean ........ 118
Chapter 6
Cleopatra VII’s Influence on Relations between Herod
and Antony (34–31 BCE)
Antony’s Declarations............................. 126
Construction of the Antonia Fortress in Jerusalem....... 128
Groundless Fears after Meeting at Laodicea, and the Start
of the Costobarus Affair........................... 131
Desertion from Antony’s Camp Under Cover of the First
War against the Nabataeans ........................ 135
Chapter 7
Elimination of Herod’s Hasmonaean Family Members
(30–28 BCE)
Execution of John Hyrcanus II ...................... 155
The Growing Hasmonaean Trauma .................. 158
The Meeting with Octavian at Rhodes ................ 160
The Trial and Execution of Mariamme the Hasmonaean .. 163
Elimination of Alexandra the Hasmonaean ............ 174
Marriage to Malthace the Samaritan ................. 175
Appointment of Simon Son of Boethus as High Priest, and
Herod’s Marriage to his Daughter, Mariamme.......... 176
Table of Contents vii
Chapter 8
Construction and Prosperity in the Shadow of
Oppression (27–10 BCE)
Beginning of Construction at the Herodium............ 181
Construction of Stadiums and Theaters in Jerusalem and
Jericho......................................... 184
Mocking of Jewish Values and Brutal Suppression of Op-
ponents ........................................ 187
Conclusion of the Costobarus Affair.................. 190
Construction of Herod’s Palace in Jerusalem and Its Famous
Towers......................................... 192
The Construction of Sebaste........................ 194
The Building of Caesarea Maritima .................. 196
Intimidation by Secret Police and Foreign Mercenaries.... 208
Chapter 9
Herod’s Address in Preparation for the Building of the
Holy Temple (23/22 BCE)
Tension in Jerusalem upon Hearing of the Plan to Build the
Temple......................................... 213
Speech at the Great Jerusalem People’s Assembly Leading
Up to Construction of the Temple.................... 215
Euphoria of Construction: A Form of Herodian “Messian-
ism”?.......................................... 218
Chapter 10
Hidden Motivations for Building the Holy Temple:
“Rivalry” with the Hasmonaeans and a Desire to
Flaunt His Grandeur
What Was Herod’s True Incentive for Building the Temple? 225
Dedication of the Temple .......................... 239
Offering in Honor of the Emperor ................... 243
Chapter 11
Return to Daily Reality amid New Tensions (18–14 BCE)
From the Euphoria of Building to an Ongoing Persecution
Complex ....................................... 244
Law against Thieves .............................. 245
Return of Herod’s Sons from Rome .................. 246
viii Table of Contents
Visit of Marcus Agrippa to Judaea (15 BCE)............ 248
Herod’s Aid to the Jews of Ionia, Asia Minor, and Cyrene
(14 BCE) ....................................... 251
Negative Impact of Salome and Pheroras on Herod ...... 254
Chapter 12
A Turn for the Worse at Home and Continued Activity
Abroad (14–10 BCE)
Antipater Deepens the Rift between Herod and his Hasmo-
naean Sons ..................................... 259
Completion of Construction in Caesarea and the Dedica-
tion of the City .................................. 272
Contributions to Hellenist Cities throughout the Empire .. 276
Chapter 13
Further Deterioration in Herod’s Mental State and
Worsening Relations with his Hasmonaean Sons
(10–9 BCE)
Looting of King David’s Tomb ...................... 281
Rivalry between Antipater, His Hasmonaean Brothers,
Salome, and Pheroras ............................. 285
Involvement of Salome and Pheroras in the Conflict between
Herod and His Hasmonaean Sons.................... 289
The “Syllaeus Affair” ............................. 295
Suspicions of Contempt toward Herod by His Son Alexan-
der: The Three Eunuchs Affair ...................... 301
Chapter 14
A Downward Spiral at Home and Abroad (9–7 BCE)
The Ring of Suspicion Tightens...................... 305
Alexander’s Fateful Blunder ........................ 310
Archelaus King of Cappadocia Comes to the Aid of Alexan-
der............................................ 315
Herod’s Second War against the Nabateans ............ 320
Chapter 15
Lead-Up to the Great Explosion (8–7 BCE)
The Eurycles Affair............................... 325
Torture of the Bodyguards Jucundus and Tyrannus ...... 331
Table of Contents ix
Second Reconciliation Attempt of Archelaus King of Cap-
padocia ........................................ 336
Chapter 16
The Tragic End of Alexander and Aristobulus (7 BCE)
Trial of the Hasmonaean Sons ...................... 340
Reactions of the Public and the Army to the Verdict against
Herod’s Sons.................................... 345
Execution of Alexander and Aristobulus............... 348
Josephus’ Summary of Herod’s Character.............. 349
Chapter 17
Antipater’s Subversion in the Royal Court of Jerusalem
(7–5 BCE)
Increasing Influence of Antipater over Herod ........... 353
Machinations of the Women of the Court, Led by Salome
and the Wife of Pheroras........................... 358
Appointment of Antipater as Successor, and Dawning of
Suspicions against Him............................ 363
Increasing Deterioration in Herod’s Mental State ........ 366
Chapter 18
The Bitter Fate of Antipater
Antipater’s Trial (5 BCE)........................... 372
Chapter 19
Descent into Oblivion (4 BCE)
Severe Decline in Herod’s Mental and Physical State...... 384
Killing of Judas Son of Sepphoraeus and Matthias Son of
Margalus, Who Cut Down the Golden Eagle from the Tem-
ple Gate........................................ 386
Herod’s Final Illness .............................. 391
Herod’s Final Attack of Madness .................... 394
Chapter 20
Post-Mortem
Josephus’ Final Assessment of Herod’s Character........ 405
Herod’s Funeral.................................. 406
Afterword......................................... 410
x Table of Contents
Appendix
Herod’s Relations with His Immediate Family .......... 424
Milestones in Herod’s Life ......................... 425
Concluding Remarks on Herod’s Mental State .......... 430
Chronological Table ................................. 435
Maps............................................. 448
Bibliography and Abbreviations ........................ 455
Index of Names..................................... 503
Geographical Index.................................. 510