Transcript
Host/Advertiser (0:01)
This show is sponsored by Liquid iv. From the builders of the Taj Mahal to traders on the Silk Roads, from sailors crossing oceans to crews carving the first railways through mountains, history is full of people doing thirsty work under the sun. Thankfully for the rest of us, staying hydrated is a little easier. Whether you're traveling out in the heat or just enjoying summer without running out of steam, staying hydrated is Easy with Liquid IV's Hydration Multiplier. Just one stick and 16 ounces of water hydrates faster than water alone. Powered by Liv Hydrocytes, it's an optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins, and clinically tested nutrients that turn ordinary water into extraordinary hydration. Keep a stick in your bag or backpack and stay hydrated while you're on the go this summer with Liquid IV Tear Pour Live. More go to liquidiv.com and get 20% off your first purchase with code Short History at checkout. That's 20% off your first purchase with Code Short History at LiquidIV. Hi listeners. This week we're bringing you an episode from Noyes Real Dictators. If you enjoy this episode, you can listen to part two of the Herod Story right away over on the Real Dictators podcast. Short History of We'll be back in the new year with brand new episodes we hope you enjoy.
Narrator (1:23)
It's 1485 on the feast day of Corpus Christi. We're in Coventry, the fourth largest city in medieval England. Amidst the bustling, winding streets, an elaborate performance is in progress. Giant wooden carts have been parked up at key locations around the city. A makeshift stage has been constructed at each spot. A cast of hundreds is taking part in a theatrical extravaganza. It's called the Mystery Cycle and it happens every year. It's a 10 play omnibus that tells the life story of Jesus. For the locals, it's one of the most significant events in the calendar. On one stage, the first installment, the traditional Nativity story, is underway. Most of the elements in this production would be familiar to a modern day audience. The shepherds following the star to Bethlehem. The three kings with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The baby Jesus swaddled in a lowly manger. And then another character emerges onto the stage. King Herod of Judea. This ancient ruler is quite the scene stealer. The archetypal pantomime villain. He enters with great fanfare, making a series of grandiose claims. He is descended from Zeus. He is a cousin to God himself. He is the Prince of Purgatory and chief Captain of Hell. When the three kings arrive on their way to visit the baby Jesus, Herod treats them with courtly respect. But as soon as their backs are turned, he's already plotting to murder them. After the kings escape his clutches, Herod flies into a rage. He will hang them, he declares, and kill the baby messiah they've come to see. In fact, he'll kill every child in Bethlehem under the age of two. Overwhelmed with anger, he leaps down from the stage, ranting and raving amid the crowd. The Coventry play ends with Herod's knights having failed to talk him down, murdering three mock babies on stage in cold blood while their parents weep and wail. This slaughter of the innocents, derived from the Gospel of Matthew, is the story that everyone knows about King Herod then and now. It's a theme that has found its way back into popular culture time and again. The cruel dictator whose reign is threatened by the birth of a chosen one and who takes drastic action in response. William Shakespeare witnessed a later version of the Mystery Cycle as a child. His Macbeth, another child killing tyrant, owes as much to Herod as he does to the historical Scottish king. In Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark cautions his own group of actors not to ham it up to avoid overdoing the evil in their performances, telling them not to out Herod. Herod, Lord Voldemort, is a more recent incarnation of the same basic character, a despot of sorts who attempts to murder baby Harry after a prophecy that the child will bring about his downfall. Over the centuries, Herod has been transformed into a literary trope. This might have secured his legacy, but in the process, the historical figure has been obscured. The true story of Herod the Great is arguably even more dramatic, even more extraordinary than any literary reimagining, replete with political intrigue, family drama, dazzling architectural ventures, and, yes, tyranny. So who really was this iconic figure of the immediate pre Christian era? How did he change the face of the Middle East? Was he as evil as later writers made out? And if not, why did his people celebrate when he died a painful, lonely death. From Noiser? This is part one of the Herod story. And this is real dictators. It's the first century bc. We're in the desert kingdom Ibidumiya. This rugged territory is located in the west of modern day Jordan. The terrain is mountainous, dry and treacherous to navigate. The red earth isn't fertile, but Idumea lies on the ancient incense route linking the Dead Sea, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Some of the world's most desirable Goods travel this way. Not only incense, but salt, spices, perfumes and luxurious fabrics from India and the Far East. The tribe's people, who escort caravans of camels through this hazardous landscape, can make a good living and gain influence, providing the traders with food, water and resting places. It is here that Herod is born in the year 72 BC. His father, Antipater, is a clan chief. He's a savvy dealmaker, whether brokering marriages between families or striking the best agreements with the traders who need to pass through his domain. Antipater's ability to negotiate, but also to fight when needed, has made him a wealthy and powerful man. Dr. Adam Marshack is the author of the Many Faces of Herod the Great.
