The Ancients Podcast – "Rise of King Herod"

Host: Tristan Hughes
Guests: Prof. Benedict Eckhart, Dr. Kimberly Tchaikovsky, Prof. Helen Bond (all of University of Edinburgh)
Release Date: December 11, 2025

Overview

This episode of The Ancients explores the turbulent and dramatic rise to power of King Herod, a figure infamous from biblical lore yet foundational in the shaping of ancient Judea. Through detailed narratives and expert insights, listeners are guided from Herod’s lesser-known early life through his political maneuvering, deadly rivalries, alliances with Rome, and eventual ascension as Rome’s client king. The experts aim to peel back the legend of Herod the "baby killer," examining the real man who built, fought, and ruled amidst an era of immense instability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Herod’s Reputation and Legacy (03:05 – 04:16)

• Biblical Villainy vs. Historical Achievements:
  • Dr. Tchaikovsky highlights the New Testament's portrayal of Herod as the massacrer of innocents, overshadowing other aspects of his rule.
    • "Most people remember Herod today...as essentially the baby killer." (03:05, Dr. Kimberly Tchaikovsky)
  • Prof. Bond notes his positive achievements (building, stability) are lost behind his notoriety:
    • "All the great things he did...are completely overshadowed now by this story that he killed all the boys." (03:33, Prof. Helen Bond)

2. Herod’s Early Life and Background (04:23 – 12:59)

• Idumean Roots and Ambition:
  • Herod was born in 72 BC into an ambitious, elite Idumean family; his mother was Nabatean (Arab), possibly royal (07:47–08:15, Prof. Helen Bond).
  • The Hasmonean dynasty’s conquest of Idumea forced assimilation, leading to his family’s prominence (06:55, Prof. Benedict Eckhart).
• Education and Upbringing:
  • Herod received a robust Greek and Jewish education, preparing for diplomacy in the Hellenistic and Roman worlds (12:05–12:48).

3. Rise of Antipater & Political Upheaval (08:55 – 13:28)

• Antipater’s Skillful Maneuvering:
  • Herod’s father, Antipater, gained power amid Hasmonean civil war by supporting Hyrcanus and aligning with Rome (10:30, Prof. Benedict Eckhart).
• Roman Intervention:
  • Pompey the Great's conquest ended meaningful Hasmonean sovereignty, leaving real power with Antipater (11:36, Narrator).

4. Herod’s First Step into Power (13:41 – 15:44)

• Governor of Galilee:
  • At 27, Herod appointed governor, quickly gains fame for suppressing bandit Ezekias, earning local and Roman favor (15:53–16:06, Dr. Kim Tchaikovsky).

5. Early Political Jealousies and Threats (17:19 – 23:07)

• Jerusalem’s Old Nobility Push Back:
  • Emerging as a threat, Herod is accused by Jerusalem’s council (the Sanhedrin) of breaking Jewish legal protocols (17:57–18:28).
  • He faces the council in purple with bodyguards, displaying his new rank (“a wonderful scene... no one wants to speak against him” – 20:39, Dr. Tchaikovsky).
• Crisis Averted:
  • Escalating toward civil war, Herod is restrained by his family, revealing his youthful rashness (22:15–23:07).

6. Roman Civil War and Antipater’s Murder (24:17 – 30:47)

• After Caesar’s Assassination:
  • The death of Julius Caesar puts Herod & family in a precarious spot. They curry favor with Cassius, Caesar’s assassin and now Syria’s governor (24:17–25:16, Prof. Bond).
• Malichos’ Betrayal:
  • Antipater is poisoned by Malichos, whom he had protected— a devastating blow to Herod (27:19–28:00).
  • Herod secures Roman permission to avenge his father, arranging Malichos’ execution at a banquet with Roman tribunes (28:47–30:47, Dr. Tchaikovsky).

7. The Parthian Invasion and Antigonus’ Siege (31:01 – 34:20)

• Antigonus and Parthian Aid:
  • Antigonus, last Hasmonean scion, challenges Herod with Parthian (Iranian) support, plunging Judea into further civil strife (31:15–32:09).
• Jerusalem Falls:
  • Herod's brother Phasael is entrapped and dies; Herod flees with his family to Masada, then seeks aid from Petra (the Nabateans) and Cleopatra in Egypt, before heading to Rome (34:20–36:26).

8. Herod’s Gamble in Rome (36:41 – 41:50)

• Roman Backing Secured:
  • In Rome, Herod wins the support of Mark Antony and Octavian (future Augustus), both citing past family loyalty and their desire for a reliable client in the east.
    • "Herod then becomes essentially the Roman candidate... Herod is named King of Judea in Rome in 40 BCE. This is really a Roman installation." (38:49, Dr. Tchaikovsky)
  • Josephus’s dramatic image: Herod emerges from the Senate flanked by Antony and Octavian in a spectacle of Roman endorsement (39:41, Prof. Helen Bond).

9. Reconquest and the Fall of Antigonus (42:17 – 48:13)

• Herod’s Ruthless Campaign:
  • Returned to Judea with Roman troops, Herod systematically re-conquers territory, rescuing his besieged family at Masada (42:53, Prof. Benedict Eckhart).
  • Faces divided loyalties—Antigonus uses his Hasmonean priestly status in propaganda, Herod dismissed as a “half-Jew.” But Herod’s resourcefulness (e.g., lowering cages to capture cave bandits) and steady Roman aid turn the tide (43:35–45:05, Prof. Helen Bond).
• Final Siege of Jerusalem:
  • After a brutal three-year war and a bloody siege, the city is taken; Antigonus is executed at Herod’s request (with Antony’s acquiescence), thus ending the Hasmonean line (46:54–47:47, Narrator).

10. Herod’s Rule and History’s Judgment (48:13 – End)

• Founding the Herodian Dynasty:
  • Herod's reign is marked by lavish construction (temple, palaces, cities) and ruthless paranoia (including family murders).
  • "The rise is quite extraordinary. What he does while in power is quite extraordinary...It doesn't stop him from being an absolutely detestable, horrible person. And I'm not sure we have to choose between the two." (49:41, Dr. Tchaikovsky)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Herod’s Infamy:
  • “Most people remember Herod today...as essentially the baby killer.” – Dr. Kimberly Tchaikovsky (03:05)
• On His Achievements:
  • “All the great things he did...are completely overshadowed now by this story that he killed all the boys.” – Professor Helen Bond (03:33)
• On Herod’s Character:
  • “When things didn't go his way, his immediate response was very often to kill.” – Professor Benedict Eckhart (04:11)
  • “It's like a, a Greek tragedy or a Shakespearean play. It's got everything in it really.” – Professor Helen Bond (04:16)
• On Roman Power:
  • “It is an imperial power saying, you will be king of this particular region.” – Dr. Kimberly Tchaikovsky (41:16)
• On Herod’s Legacy:
  • “It doesn't stop him from being an absolutely detestable, horrible person. And I'm not sure we have to choose between the two.” – Dr. Kimberly Tchaikovsky (49:41)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:05 | Framing Herod as an enduringly negative biblical figure | | 06:55 | Idumean roots and Hasmonean political history | | 10:02 | Pompey’s conquest and end of full Hasmonean sovereignty | | 15:44 | Herod’s appointment as governor of Galilee and rise to renown | | 18:28 | Jerusalem’s council challenges Herod; dramatic appearance before the Sanhedrin | | 24:17 | Julius Caesar’s assassination and resulting uncertainty in Judea | | 27:19 | Antipater’s poisoning and Herod’s quest for vengeance | | 31:15 | Parthian-backed return of Antigonus, siege of Jerusalem | | 36:41 | Herod’s desperate appeal in Rome; wins support of Antony and Octavian | | 42:17 | Herod’s reconquest campaigns, political treacheries, and military innovations | | 46:54 | Final siege and sack of Jerusalem; end of Hasmoneans, start of Herodian dynasty | | 49:41 | Herod’s paradoxical legacy: builder and tyrant, remembered as the ‘baby killer’ in tradition |

Tone & Style

The episode is narrative-driven, mixing gripping historical storytelling with thoughtful scholarly analysis. The experts employ engaging, almost cinematic metaphors ("a Greek tragedy," "Shakespearean play") and often discuss the difficulties of separating myth from history in evaluating rulers like Herod.

Conclusion

This special episode presents Herod as one of antiquity’s most vivid figures—a scheming, sometimes monstrous, but never dull monarch. Listeners are left with a nuanced portrait of a man shaped equally by the chaos around him and his own relentless ambition: "absolutely extraordinary," yet "absolutely detestable." The episode balances historical detail with dramatic retelling, offering fresh perspectives for both aficionados and those new to the story of Herod.