24. The Reign of King Herod (Jewish History Lab)

Brief description of the reign of King Herod (37-4 BCE). This lecture is also part of the course entitled Biblical Jewish History: From Abraham to Bar Kochba. Course information and registration here: henryabramson.....
For recommended reading, please visit: henryabramson.....
Online Courses:
Biblical Jewish History: From Abraham to Bar Kochba
Course information and registration here: henryabramson.....
A Thousand Years of Ashkenaz!
Course information and registration here: henryabramson.....
Interested in studying more deeply with our Membership perks?
Join our learning community of students, researchers and colleagues: / @henryabramsonphd

[@lsdlrf]

Another wonderful lecture. Always feel like I am back in college! Happy Chanukah.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Wonderful!

[@richardglady3009]

Great lecture. I can hardly wait for the lecture on Pharisees. Thank you.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you!

[@mmccbb7mcb278]

Once again Dr Abramson, thank you for your videos. They are coming so thick and fast I am struggling to keep up. Well done and happy Chanukah to yourself and loved ones.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Enjoy in good health!

[@danielpalmer643]

This is a very nice summary. I find the transition from the Hasmoneans to the Herods confusing, and it doesn't help too much that Josephus wore his biases against Herod openly.

[@kashf69]

Amazing lecture Dr Abramson

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you!

[@esty6374]

I love your lectures

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks! I enjoy researching them.

[@JimmyAkin]

In case it sheds any light on Herod's posthumous treatment of Mariamne, burial in honey was considered a very respectful thing to do. For example, Alexander the Great was embalmed in honey. In addition to its association with sweetness, honey is an excellent preservative and has anti-microbial properties and keeps out the corrosive effects of oxygen. Thus, there's some context to why Herod would want to use it to preserve Mariamne's remains (and beauty?), though the practice seems very strange to us. Here's some additional background: www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/out-of-eden-walk/articles/2015-05-honey-im-dead/#:~:text=The%20same%20applies%20to%20corpses,golden%20sarcophagus%20brimming%20with%20honey.&text=Their%20sugar%2Dcrystallized%20bodies%20were,of%20honey%20for%20a%20century.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Now that is a fun fact.

[@badnewsbrown10p]

I like how you point out even the " nefarious " things some Jews had a part in. I like how you don't cherry pick the things that make your people only look good. loving these videos..

[@savtamarlene]

Our entire Tenach is written like that. That is what makes it so believable. Dr.Abramson is just following how HaShem Wrote His Torah.

[@briankelly5828]

Thanks for this very informative lecture on a very turbulent era in Jewish history. Actually the New Testament doesn't say that Herod caused the murder of "thousands" of babies in Bethlehem but rather of the boys two years and under - maybe thirty deaths? Friedrich Hebbel wrote a play "Herodes und Mariamne" which describes the tragic consequences of Herod's rage but also concludes with the arrival of the Magi, signifying a new age coming that would end his savagery.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Well that's interesting--looking at the verse again (Matthew 2:15, which has its own internal issues, but just at face value), it only refers to the children in Bethlehem. I guess 30 would be a reasonable estimate!

[@menachemsalomon]

I had always understood (based on _Midos, Bava Basra,_ and elsewhere) that while the construction and architecture of the Temple was Herod's, the layout and plan was not, except for the fortress. Is that the conventional understanding among historians, or do they take Herod's version to be vastly different from Shlomo Hamelech's?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Not sure of the scholarly consensus, but I would think your assumption is correct.

[@JimmyAkin]

Huh! You surprised me! I thought you were going to name the Herodium as the third example of Herod's building efforts.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Certainly worthwhile, just omitted for time.

[@SunShine-yd5xu]

We know that only the high priest (Kohen Gadol) was allowed to enter the Holy of Holiest place and only on atonement day (Yom Kipur). I was told that if anyone except the high priest entered it, he would instantly die. Two questions : 1) if Pompey entered the Holy of Holy place, then how come he exited alive? 2) we know that the Ark of Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holy. You said : “When Pompey entered it, it was empty. Thus, where was the Ark of Covenant at that time? What happened to it? Was is removed and hidden somewhere else around the time of Pompey’s conquest? I was surprised you omitted this part.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

These questions are addressed in the Talmud; they are more religious in nature than historical.

[@SunShine-yd5xu]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD It was disappointing you didn’t give answer in few words to those who don’t know how to study Talmud. Even now, you didn’t bother answering me this question. I am not i classroom now! Apparently, the the Ark of Covenant was not (lack of) in the second Temple to begin with. At all times. An empty building. Apparently we lost the “Ark” at the time of first destruction. Were the Jews cheated by their Rabbis making them believe the “Ark” is there ?

[@shlomok9731]

Hi where is the map you are using at the 7 minute mark on the right from? Very interesting

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I use the Karta Atlas quite a bit.

[@werollins]

Great Work. Why do I have an eerie feeling, that the spirit of Herod is emerging in a Governor of NYS ?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I have an eerie feeling that contemporary Jewish society has similar ideological fractures.

[@nathanpriddis3878]

If Herod strikes a Jewish coin, with a Roman Eagle, what sort of offense would this cause in the C.E? National, ethnic or religious? Would it be an overreach to imagine the Eagle might be viewed as Roman gods triumphing over the Jewish God, and therefore blasphemous?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Religious offense, relating to a strict interpretation of not making any graven images.

[@yourthought2333]

Those Kings could never be happy because everyone was trying to kill them and take the throne. What a sad life he had 😞

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

yep.