Herod Agrippa

Caligula is not mentioned in the New Testament. That is very peculiar, because what he did and especially what he wanted to do had great influence on the Jews of this time, and so also on the early Christians.

Caligula had an unhappy youth. Both his father and his mother, and two of his brothers were murdered, most likely by command of Tiberius. And if he had demonstrated a trace of grieve he would have been murdered as well.

Yet Tiberius wanted that he and Gemellus, Tiberius' grandson, would become emperor together. Probably his wish was based on omens. It did not happen: the first thing Caligula did as an emperor was to declare this wish unlawful.

The government of Caligula can be divided into two parts: the first half year, in which he was a very decent emperor, and the rest, starting with a serious illness. After his recovery he proved to be sadistic, jealous and unpredictable. He enjoyed to humiliate people. Once upon a time senators had to place their wifes at the disposal of the emperor for a brothel that he had instituted. People got killed for the slightest things, after extensive torture, as Caligula did not like a quick death.

Like the Pharaos he wanted to mary his sisters. As this was not allowed even to him, he committed incest with them. When Drusilla, his most beloved sister died, he had her deificated.

And he was extremely prodigal. So he liked to drink vinegar with dissolved pearls. The money collected by Tiberius he spent in one year. After that he collected money in his own way. E.g. by invalidating each will in which he was not an heir, because of ingratitude. At auctions he determined from time to time the bids of the people present. Who could not pay the bid should commit suicide. Profit made this way went to the emperor.

He was fond of applause. He once had shells removed from the Atlantic, declared he had defeated the Ocean, and wanted a triumph for that. He also wanted his horse to be appointed a senator.

Both things did not occur because he was murdered by a guard first, at the age of 29 years.

His (fourth) wife and daughter were also murdered.

As said he was fond of applause. The fact it was the Jews allowed not to place an image of him irritated him very much. He started to revoke the privileges the Jews in Alexandria had. This caused riots, and a deputation was sent to Caligula with the request to reverse this. Of course this request was refused. Philo was a member of this deputation and wrote a book about it.

And then Caligula wanted an image of Jupiter, with the face of Caligula, erected in the temple of Jerusalem. This led to unrest in Judea. Advised by Herod Agrippa the Jews resisted passively. They declared to prefer being killed over polution of the Temple. Petronius, the governornof Judea and Syria wrote a letter to Caligula, stating that he could not execute this order, because he would have to kill the whole population of Judea.

Caligula answered him that he should commit suicide. He was not in a hurry to do so, and after the death of Caligula it was no longer necessary.

Herod Agrippa had tried to persuade Caligula to revoke the order. That was a very dangerous attempt, as will be clear. He succeeded in getting a delay, about the only time Caligula changed his mind because of somebody else. But how did Herod Agrippa convince Caligula? His arguments cannot have been positive for the Jewish people.

When Caligula had been killed the image was no longer wanted.

After Caligula's death the senate wanted no new emperor, and it was considered to kill the whole imperial family.

The Praetorian guard, the body-guard of the emperors, did want a new emperor, because the previous emperors had paid the guards well.

And therefore they looked for a new emperor, and found Claudius, uncle of Caligula, behind a curtain. He had hid there because he had heard rumours about killing the imperial family.

People thought he was feeble-minded, but that was a necessary show to survive.

It took a lot of effort to convince the senate, that Claudius had to become emperor. Agrippa, being a friend of Claudius as well, played an important part.

The guards were rewarded, and Agrippa received Judea.

He was a good king, and a good Jew. He was suspected to organize a revolt against the Romans, but his unexpected death prevented it.

His government has been called the last “Golden Age” of the Jews, but in the Bible he is described rather differently.

He is mentioned in Acts 12, where he killed James with the sword, and put Peter in prison. Peter escapes in a wondrous way.

In the end of that chapter is described how he is applauded by the people of Tyrus, and how he dies. This is seen as a punishment of God.

Apparently Luke, the author of Acts loathed him. Preventing the placement of an image of Jupiter, in the Temple, and his role in that is not described in Acts. The Christians of that time would hate an image of Jupiter in the temple just as much.

Regarding Herod Agrippa it is thought that he wanted to revolt against the Romans. And that he thought he was the Messiah. Or at least wanted his subjects to do so (he was born in Bethlehem!)

The prosecution of the Christians fits in that theory. <Jesus was a competitor, whose supporters had to be destroyed.

Speculations have been made about the chances of such a revolt. Agrippa was more clever than emperor Claudius, and there lived about 3.000.000 Jews in the Roman empire (as many as live now in the same area). Such a revolt would have had a chance.

Presumably not only Peter had to flee, but all apostles. Leader of the young church became James, the brother of the Lord.

That is remarkable: he had not been a disciple, had not traveled with Jesus through Palestina, he had not been present at the Last Supper, and is not mentioned as present at Pentecost.

He is however described as a very pious Jew. In later scriptures he is called James the Righteous. But did he believe in Jesus as the Messiah?

There was no need for him to flee.

When Agrippa was dead, the apostles could return.

But Peter was not reappointed as leader of the church.

We can see that in the report of the Apostle meeting in Acts 15. Peter speaks first, but James has the last word. And in that last word the name of Jesus is not mentioned.

Much attention has been given on strain in the young church between James and Paul. But the fact that James had no need to flee is neglected. I do not believe in such a strain. At most there was strain between Peter and James.

This will be dealt with in a following piece.

Another remark on Claudius. In the bible he is mentioned in Acts 18:2, where it says that Claudius banished the Jews from Rome. According to Suetonius "He banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus.

. Probably rows between Christians from the Jews and orthodox Jews.

Outside the bible he is known for his weakness with regard to (beautiful) women.

When he became emperor he was married to the young and beautiful Messalina, who used her new status to deal thoroughly with people she hated, and to take young lovers. This was no problem for Claudius, until she wanted a lover on the throne. Then both were asked to commit suicide.

But Claudius could not without a wife, and the court got divided in groups who propagated a certain woman. Claudius selected Agrippina, although she was the daughter of his brother Germanicus.

But the marriage was presented as in the interest of the state, and nobody protested.

Agrippina had a child from a previous marriage, one Nero.