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When Herod died, his realm was divided among the three sons surviving him. Archelaus got Judea and Samaria, Antipas got Galilee and Philip got Perea and surroundings. For this Augustus had to give his consent, and he summoned them to Rome. But before going Archelaus had to suppress a rebellion arisen by the death of Herod. 3000 people were killed, some in the temple. Again the sanctuary was desecrated. When the three sons were in Rome new rows broke out. Sabinus, the prefekt of Syria, suppressed them. 2000 People were crucified, and the arcades of the Temple were set on fire. The Jews sent representatives to Rome who asked Augustus not to appoint Archelaus. The parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27) may be an allusion to this situation. The sons were all the same appointed, but not as king but as tetrach. Archelaus is mentioned in the Bible as successor of his father (Matth. 2:22). He was a bad governor, and was after a few years deposed, in 6 AD. Judea became a Roman province with a Roman as a governor. As mentioned then and therefore the census took place.
Philip is only mentioned in the Bible in Luke 3:1. He is not identical to the Philip Herodias was first married to. This Philip married Salome, the daughter of his brother. She is famous in the Bible for her dance. As a reward she received the head of John the Baptist. See a.o. Mark 6:14-29. But that happened before her marriage. This Philip was a reasonable good tetrarch, who built e.g. Bethsaida, a city also mentioned in the Bible. He died in 34 AD. Also in the year 6 AD Judas of Galilee, a Zealot, started a rebellion against Herod Antipas. Gamaliel mentions him in Acts 5:37:
"After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed"
The centre of the rebellion was Sepphoris, the capital of Galilee about 7 kilometer from Nazareth.
The rebellion was crushed by the Romans. 2000 rebels were crucified, and a great deal of the population of Sepphoris was sold as slave.
According to common assumption Jesus must then have been 12 years old. It will have impressed him deeply.
Remarkably enough this rebellion is not mentioned in the New Testament.
Sepphoris was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt. This meant a lot of work for carpenters like Joseph. A theatre was constructed, which was recentelijk excavated. And subsequently Tiberias was built.
In the Bible Herod Antipas is well-known (notorius) for two things:
- He married Herodias, his brother's wife. She was the daughter of his half-brother Aristobulus, and the sister of Herod Agrippa, who we will meet again.
For this he had to divorce his first wife. John the Baptist criticises this, is put in prison and decapitated in the end. More details in my piece about John the Baptist . Aretas, Herod Antipas' father-in-law, was deeply insulted and started a war against him; Herod Antipas was defeated severely. Some beleived this to be a punishment for the death of John the Baptist.
- Pilate sent Jesus to him (Luke 23:7-12).
Without a verdict he sent Jesus back.
In 39 AD Herod Antipas, urged by Herodias asked to Caligula if he could be appointed king. Instead of getting the title he was deposed and banished. Herod Agrippa had whispered this into Caligulas ear. Herodias was allowed to choose whether she wanted to join her husband or remain at the court. She followed her husband in exile. He died soon afterwards.
Herod Agrippa now became tetrarch of Galilee. The part of Philip he had received already.
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