Who was Herod Antipas? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Nick Name: Antipas

Also Known As: Herod Antipater

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Herodias

father: Herod the Great

mother: Malthace

siblings: Archelaus, Herod Archelaus, Herod II, Philip the Tetrarch

children: Salomé II

Born Country: Israel

Emperors & Kings Israeli Male

Died on: 39

place of death: Roman Gaul

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Childhood & Early Life

Antipas was born Herod Antipater, before 20 BC, to Herod the Great, king of Judea, and Malthace. He had a brother named Archelaus and a half-brother named Philip. Herod had a son named Alexander from Hasmonean princess Mariamne.

Herod initially wanted Aristobulus and Alexander to succeed him and not Antipas. However, he changed his decision after the two were executed (c. 7 BC), while Herod's eldest son, Antipater, was imprisoned for conspiring his murder (5 BC).

Herod fell ill in 4 BC, and he again changed his decision regarding his heir. In the final version of his will, he named Archelaus as the next king of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria, while he granted a lesser title of “Tetrarch” to Antipas, with Galilee and Perea under his rule.

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Inheritance

Antipas, however, inherited a portion of his father's kingdom after Roman emperor Augustus made some modifications to the will.

Under Antipas's rule, several construction projects were carried out in the regions of Sepphoris and Betharamphtha. However, his most glorified construction was that of the capital, Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, named after the emperor Tiberius. The city eventually became a hub of rabbinic learning.

Antipas was a patron of affluent Jewish Herodians, who had previously provided him aid and had accepted the Roman authority.

Antipas had done a lot for the Jews. He ensured that coins had no images, to protect Jewish prescriptions against idolatry. Antipas also appealed to the Judea governor, Pontius Pilate, to remove pledged shields from the Antonia palace in Jerusalem.

Second Marriage & Oppositions

Antipas was initially married to Phasaelis, whom he divorced later to marry his half-brother Herod II's wife, Herodias. Herodias was the granddaughter of Herod the Great and Mariamne I. He had met her in Rome.

The marriage, however, infuriated Antipas's former father-in-law, King Aretas IV of Nabatea, and he thus withdrew his support from Antipas's Jewish subjects. He even defeated Antipas in a war that he declared to avenge the injustice meted out to his daughter.

It is believed that when John the Baptist, one of Antipas's subjects, objected to the marriage, Herodias persuaded her husband to capture him. John regarded the union as carnal, as Herodias was also Antipas's niece.

Antipas was already facing troubles in his tetrarchy, as John had started preaching and practicing baptism near the Jordan River, which fell under Antipas's western territory of Perea. John was executed in Machaerus.

It is believed that Antipas had executed John (in Machaerus) reluctantly and strictly under Herodias's pursuance.

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Jesus of Nazareth, whom John had baptized, became a minister in Galilee, which scared Antipas, as he believed that John had been resurrected.

Jesus was informed about Antipas's conspiracies to kill him, which he ignored. According to the 'Gospel of Luke,' Jesus was first arrested in Jerusalem by Pontius Pilate, the governor of Roman Judea.

Pilate handed over Jesus to Antipas, because he actively preached in his territory. Antipas wished to witness his miracles. He was, however, disappointed, and thus mocked Jesus and sent him back to Pilate without passing any judgment.

Antipas's role in Jesus's trial is highly disputed and is regarded as unhistorical due to lack of evidence.

War with Aretas

Between 34 and 36 AD, Aretas's agitation and a disagreement over the territory on the border of Perea and Nabatea resulted in an open war. Disappointed by the former tetrarchy of Philip, who was then supporting the Nabateans, a defeated Antipas approached Tiberius. Tiberius appointed the governor of Syria, Lucius Vitellius, to execute Aretas.

However, the sudden death of Tiberius (March 16, 37 AD) implied that Vitellius was no more bound to help Antipas, and he hence called back his troops.

It is also believed that Vitellius did not intend to help Antipas, as the tetrarch had infuriated him before.

Downfall & Death

Antipas's downfall is largely attributed to his nephew, Agrippa, and Caligula, the son of Roman general Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder (Augustus's granddaughter).

Herodias envied Agrippa's rise and thus coaxed Antipas to ask Caligula for the kingship. Agrippa, on learning Antipas's motive, brainwashed Caligula against him.

Antipas admitted to conspiring against Caligula and was thus accused. In 39 AD, Antipas's assets and territory went to Agrippa, while he was sent to exile in Spain (as per Josephus's 'Antiquities').

Herodias, being related to Agrippa, was allowed to retain her property. She, however, chose to join Antipas.

Antipas died in exile. Historian Cassius Dio argued that Caligula had killed him. However, this is denied by modern historians.

Legacy

Among many of Antipas's on-screen portrayals, some of the notable ones are by Frank Thring in 'King of Kings' (1961), José Ferrer in 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' (1965), Christopher Plummer in 'Jesus of Nazareth' (1977), and Charles Laughton in 'Salome' (1953).

In the films 'Jesus Christ Superstar' (1973) and 'The Passion of the Christ' (2004), Antipas was depicted as an effeminate figure.

Actor James Callis portrayed Antipas in the 'Netflix' series 'A.D. The Bible Continues.'

Herod Antipas Biography