Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – “¡¡Herodes era inocente!!”

Podcast: Todo Concostrina
Host: Cadena SER Podcast
Episode: Acontece que no es poco | ¡¡Herodes era inocente!!
Date: December 24, 2025
Summary By: Podcast Summarizer

Main Theme Overview

In this special festive episode, Nieves Concostrina challenges the foundation of one of Christianity’s most persistent and dark legends: the “Matanza de los Inocentes” (“Massacre of the Innocents”). With her signature mix of humor, skepticism, and historical rigor, Nieves revisits the figure of King Herodes (Herod the Great), deconstructs biblical inconsistencies, and exposes how tradition and myth get mixed into accepted historical “facts.” The show delights in poking holes in uncomfortable traditions, appealing especially to those dreading obligatory holiday gatherings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. El Peso de las Tradiciones Navideñas (00:24–02:50)

• Setting the Mood: The episode is tailored for listeners stuck in holiday traffic or kitchen duty, possibly facing family gatherings out of mere tradition.
• Traditions as Burdens: Nieves sympathizes with those questioning why we follow traditions out of obligation. She suggests that some traditions (like “inocentadas” or April Fools-type pranks on Dec 28) deserve to be skipped—especially since the story behind them is, in her words, a “patraña” (lie).

2. Herodes: Historia Real vs. Leyenda Negra (03:28–10:45)

• Herodes, the Man: Herodes el Grande was a real figure, thoroughly documented by historians and archaeologists through writings and architectural remains such as the Herodion fortress.
• Political Games: Appointed King of the Jews by the Roman Senate in 40 BCE, Herodes survived by playing sides in Roman power struggles (first with Mark Antony, then Octavian/Augustus, showing cunning pragmatism).
• Builder and Tyrant: He kept both Romans and his subjects content, in part by overseeing massive building projects (palaces, temples, theaters…). At the same time, he was pathologically ruthless against perceived threats—even his own family; he "se cepillaba" (eliminated) those who threatened his throne, including several of his own sons and his wife.
• Notable Quote:

  "Dijo el romano que era preferible ser el cerdo de Herodes antes que su hijo."
  — Nieves, quoting Emperor Augustus (07:19)

3. Herodes, Paranoia, y el Terror Real (10:45–12:44)

• Historical Atrocities: Herodes executed 45 of the 70 members of the Sanhedrin (Jewish council), not for religious reasons, but because they challenged his authority.
• Comparisons: Nieves draws a provocative parallel with Franco, emphasizing both rulers’ delusional megalomania and readiness to destroy rivals.

4. La Muerte de Herodes: Diagnósticos y Detalles Escabrosos (12:44–15:26)

• Manner of Death: Theories abound (cancer, gangrene of Fournier, venereal disease, kidney/liver failure). Flavio Josefo, a primary source, described Herodes’ painful decline and grotesque symptoms (gangrenous testicles, severe odor).
• Posthumous Cruelty: Herodes left orders to kill 300 prominent Jews upon his death to ensure national mourning—thwarted by his successors.
• Chronology: Herodes died in 4 BCE (“antes de nuestra era”), a date crucial to Nieves’s argument.

5. El Desmoronamiento de la “Matanza de los Inocentes” (15:26–19:46)

• Biblical Chronology Fails: If Herod died four years before Jesus’ putative birth, he couldn’t have ordered the massacre.
• Quote Highlight:

  “Las cuentas están mal hechas y porque no hay una sola respuesta coherente más allá de ‘esto es así porque sí y ya está. Y no preguntes’.”
  — Nieves, on the gospel’s timeline (15:38)

• Benedicto XVI’s Admission: Even Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged mistakes in Jesus’s dating, which would be necessary to line up the reigns.
• The Evangelist Mateo: The account in Matthew is full of internal contradictions—Matthew couldn’t have authored his own gospel posthumously, and nobody else corroborates his story.

6. La Historia de los Falsos Calendarios y Fiestas Cristianas (19:46–24:32)

• Christian Fiestas Built on Pagan Roots: The dates of Dec 24 (Christmas), Dec 28 (Innocents), and Jan 6 (Epiphany) are historical accidents aimed at co-opting pre-existing pagan festivals (like the Roman Natalis Solis Invictus, celebration of the sun’s rebirth).
• Quote Highlight:

  “El cristianismo era depredador y destructor de lo que había… Aquí nos inventamos que nació el… chupi Jesús. El 24.”
  — Nieves, explaining the overtaking of Sol Invictus (20:04)

• Obstetrical Miracle: The “Annunciation” (March 25) is simply nine months before Christmas—a convenient back-calculation.

7. Deconstruyendo la Matanza de los Inocentes (24:32–29:52)

• No Evidence, Ridiculous Numbers:
  • Biblical reference (Matthew 2:16) says Herod ordered the deaths of all children under two in Bethlehem.
  • Only Matthew mentions it; no historian, including those hostile to Herod, records such a massacre.
  • Medieval embellishments claim 3,000 to 15,000 infant victims; census data show Bethlehem had just 800 inhabitants, with perhaps 10 children under two at any time.
• Quote Highlight:

  “Si Herodes hubiera ordenado la matanza… se podría haber cargado como mucho a 10 niños menores de 2 años.”
  — Nieves (27:47)

• Artistic Exaggeration: Religious art grew ever more graphic, dramatizing an entirely fictional slaughter.

8. Del Infanticidio a las Bromas: Origen Siniestro de las Inocentadas (29:52–32:08)

• From Tragedy to Pranks: The shift from a (mythical) child massacre to light-hearted Dec 28 pranks is mystifying—Nieves calls it “muy morboso, muy macabro.”
• Absurd Relics: Throughout history, churches have claimed to possess relics of the “Innocents”—skulls, bones—but these are obvious fabrications.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Historical Distortion:

  “Eso sí, cada vez que decidía matar a uno de sus hijos o a su esposa se lo comunicaba directamente a su protector, a Octavio...” (06:48)

• On Herodes’s Reputation:

  “Era preferible ser el cerdo de Herodes antes que su hijo.” (07:19)

• On Christian Calendar Tactics:

  “El cristianismo era depredador y destructor de lo que había.” (20:04)

• On the Absurdity of Infant Numbers:

  “¿Para que Herodes pudiera matar a 15000... eso era una guardería, una metrópoli?” (27:47)

• On the Value of Myth-Busting:

  “Bueno, pues ya está. Es una leyenda urbana con menos gracia que la que dice que Walt Disney está congelado.” (29:52)

• Final Advice:

  “…que disfruten todos como mejor les venga, como más les guste. Y que sean felices.” (31:55)

Selected Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening and statement of intent: 00:24–02:50
• The real and ruthless Herodes: 03:35–10:45
• Herodes' death and timing contradiction with Jesus’ birth: 12:44–15:38
• The invention of Christmas, Epiphany, and Innocents’ Day: 19:46–24:32
• Historical/census data debunking the mass murder: 27:39–29:52
• On the transformation into a holiday of pranks and relic absurdity: 29:52–32:08

Tone & Style

Nieves Concostrina’s tone is irreverent, witty, and critically sharp. She blends deep historical knowledge with a flair for ridiculing inconsistent traditions, displaying skepticism toward religious narratives but always with humor. Marta plays the perfect straight (and amused) interviewer, offering prompts and marveling at Nieves’s revelations.

Concluding Remark

For listeners weary of unexamined traditions or false history, this episode is both an entertaining myth-buster and a call to scrutinize the stories baked into seasonal rituals. Herodes walks out not as an innocent, but as a historical figure unfairly blamed for crimes of myth, while Christmas customs emerge as the successful outcome of clever religious rebranding strategies.