Antiquities Book 17, Chapter 8
Concerning Herod's Death, And Testament, And Burial.
1. And now Herod altered his testament upon the alteration of his mind;
for he appointed Antipas, to whom he had before left the kingdom, to be
tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and granted the kingdom to Archelaus. He
also gave Gaulonitis, and Trachonitis, and Paneas to Philip, who was his
son, but own brother to Archelaus 10 by the name of a tetrarchy; and
bequeathed Jarnnia, and Ashdod, and Phasaelis to Salome his sister, with
five hundred thousand [drachmae] of silver that was coined. He also made
provision for all the rest of his kindred, by giving them sums of money
and annual revenues, and so left them all in a wealthy condition. He
bequeathed also to Cæsar ten millions [of drachmae] of coined money,
besides both vessels of gold and silver, and garments exceeding costly,
to Julia, Cæsar's wife; and to certain others, five millions. When he
had done these things, he died, the fifth day after he had caused
Antipater to be slain; having reigned, since he had procured Antigonus
to be slain, thirty-four years; but since he had been declared king by
the Romans, thirty-seven. 11 A man he was of great barbarity towards all
men equally, and a slave to his passion; but above the consideration of
what was right; yet was he favored by fortune as much as any man ever
was, for from a private man he became a king; and though he were
encompassed with ten thousand dangers, he got clear of them all, and
continued his life till a very old age. But then, as to the affairs of
his family and children, in which indeed, according to his own opinion,
he was also very fortunate, because he was able to conquer his enemies,
yet, in my opinion, he was herein very unfortunate.
2. But then Salome and Alexas, before the king's death was made known,
dismissed those that were shut up in the hippodrome, and told them that
the king ordered them to go away to their own lands, and take care of
their own affairs, which was esteemed by the nation a great benefit. And
now the king's death was made public, when Salome and Alexas gathered
the soldiery together in the amphitheater at Jericho; and the first
thing they did was, they read Herod's letter, written to the soldiery,
thanking them for their fidelity and good-will to him, and exhorting
them to afford his son Archelaus, whom he had appointed for their king,
like fidelity and good-will. After which Ptolemy, who had the king's
seal intrusted to him, read the king's testament, which was to be of
force no otherwise than as it should stand when Cæsar had inspected it;
so there was presently an acclamation made to Archelaus, as king; and
the soldiers came by bands, and their commanders with them, and promised
the same good-will to him, and readiness to serve him, which they had
exhibited to Herod; and they prayed God to be assistant to him.
3. After this was over, they prepared for his funeral, it being
Archelaus's care that the procession to his father's sepulcher should be
very sumptuous. Accordingly, he brought out all his ornaments to adorn
the pomp of the funeral. The body was carried upon a golden bier,
embroidered with very precious stones of great variety, and it was
covered over with purple, as well as the body itself; he had a diadem
upon his head, and above it a crown of gold: he also had a scepter in
his right hand. About the bier were his sons and his numerous relations;
next to these was the soldiery, distinguished according to their several
countries and denominations; and they were put into the following order:
First of all went his guards, then the band of Thracians, and after them
the Germans; and next the band of Galatians, every one in their
habiliments of war; and behind these marched the whole army in the same
manner as they used to go out to war, and as they used to be put in
array by their muster-masters and centurions; these were followed by
five hundred of his domestics carrying spices. So they went eight
furlongs 12 to Herodium; for there by his own command he was to be
buried. And thus did Herod end his life.
4. Now Archelaus paid him so much respect, as to continue his mourning
till the seventh day; for so many days are appointed for it by the law
of our fathers. And when he had given a treat to the multitude, and left
off his motoring, he went up into the temple; he had also acclamations
and praises given him, which way soever he went, every one striving with
the rest who should appear to use the loudest acclamations. So he
ascended a high elevation made for him, and took his seat, in a throne
made of gold, and spake kindly to the multitude, and declared with what
joy he received their acclamations, and the marks of the good-will they
showed to him; and returned them thanks that they did not remember the
injuries his father had done them to his disadvantage; and promised them
he would endeavor not to be behindhand with them in rewarding their
alacrity in his service, after a suitable manner; but that he should
abstain at present from the name of king, and that he should have the
honor of that dignity, if Cæsar should confirm and settle that testament
which his father had made; and that it was on this account, that when
the army would have put the diadem on him at Jericho, he would not
accept of that honor, which is usually so much desired, because it was
not yet evident that he who was to be principally concerned in bestowing
it would give it him; although, by his acceptance of the government, he
should not want the ability of rewarding their kindness to him and that
it should be his endeavor, as to all things wherein they were concerned,
to prove in every respect better than his father. Whereupon the
multitude, as it is usual with them, supposed that the first days of
those that enter upon such governments declare the intentions of those
that accept them; and so by how much Archelaus spake the more gently and
civilly to them, by so much did they more highly commend him, and made
application to him for the grant of what they desired. Some made a
clamor that he would ease them of some of their annual payments; but
others desired him to release those that were put into prison by Herod,
who were many, and had been put there at several times; others of them
required that he would take away those taxes which had been severely
laid upon what was publicly sold and bought. So Archelaus contradicted
them in nothing, since he pretended to do all things so as to get the
good-will of the multitude to him, as looking upon that good-will to be
a great step towards his preservation of the government. Hereupon he
went and offered sacrifice to God, and then betook himself to feast with
his friends.
for he appointed Antipas, to whom he had before left the kingdom, to be
tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and granted the kingdom to Archelaus. He
also gave Gaulonitis, and Trachonitis, and Paneas to Philip, who was his
son, but own brother to Archelaus 10 by the name of a tetrarchy; and
bequeathed Jarnnia, and Ashdod, and Phasaelis to Salome his sister, with
five hundred thousand [drachmae] of silver that was coined. He also made
provision for all the rest of his kindred, by giving them sums of money
and annual revenues, and so left them all in a wealthy condition. He
bequeathed also to Cæsar ten millions [of drachmae] of coined money,
besides both vessels of gold and silver, and garments exceeding costly,
to Julia, Cæsar's wife; and to certain others, five millions. When he
had done these things, he died, the fifth day after he had caused
Antipater to be slain; having reigned, since he had procured Antigonus
to be slain, thirty-four years; but since he had been declared king by
the Romans, thirty-seven. 11 A man he was of great barbarity towards all
men equally, and a slave to his passion; but above the consideration of
what was right; yet was he favored by fortune as much as any man ever
was, for from a private man he became a king; and though he were
encompassed with ten thousand dangers, he got clear of them all, and
continued his life till a very old age. But then, as to the affairs of
his family and children, in which indeed, according to his own opinion,
he was also very fortunate, because he was able to conquer his enemies,
yet, in my opinion, he was herein very unfortunate.
2. But then Salome and Alexas, before the king's death was made known,
dismissed those that were shut up in the hippodrome, and told them that
the king ordered them to go away to their own lands, and take care of
their own affairs, which was esteemed by the nation a great benefit. And
now the king's death was made public, when Salome and Alexas gathered
the soldiery together in the amphitheater at Jericho; and the first
thing they did was, they read Herod's letter, written to the soldiery,
thanking them for their fidelity and good-will to him, and exhorting
them to afford his son Archelaus, whom he had appointed for their king,
like fidelity and good-will. After which Ptolemy, who had the king's
seal intrusted to him, read the king's testament, which was to be of
force no otherwise than as it should stand when Cæsar had inspected it;
so there was presently an acclamation made to Archelaus, as king; and
the soldiers came by bands, and their commanders with them, and promised
the same good-will to him, and readiness to serve him, which they had
exhibited to Herod; and they prayed God to be assistant to him.
3. After this was over, they prepared for his funeral, it being
Archelaus's care that the procession to his father's sepulcher should be
very sumptuous. Accordingly, he brought out all his ornaments to adorn
the pomp of the funeral. The body was carried upon a golden bier,
embroidered with very precious stones of great variety, and it was
covered over with purple, as well as the body itself; he had a diadem
upon his head, and above it a crown of gold: he also had a scepter in
his right hand. About the bier were his sons and his numerous relations;
next to these was the soldiery, distinguished according to their several
countries and denominations; and they were put into the following order:
First of all went his guards, then the band of Thracians, and after them
the Germans; and next the band of Galatians, every one in their
habiliments of war; and behind these marched the whole army in the same
manner as they used to go out to war, and as they used to be put in
array by their muster-masters and centurions; these were followed by
five hundred of his domestics carrying spices. So they went eight
furlongs 12 to Herodium; for there by his own command he was to be
buried. And thus did Herod end his life.
4. Now Archelaus paid him so much respect, as to continue his mourning
till the seventh day; for so many days are appointed for it by the law
of our fathers. And when he had given a treat to the multitude, and left
off his motoring, he went up into the temple; he had also acclamations
and praises given him, which way soever he went, every one striving with
the rest who should appear to use the loudest acclamations. So he
ascended a high elevation made for him, and took his seat, in a throne
made of gold, and spake kindly to the multitude, and declared with what
joy he received their acclamations, and the marks of the good-will they
showed to him; and returned them thanks that they did not remember the
injuries his father had done them to his disadvantage; and promised them
he would endeavor not to be behindhand with them in rewarding their
alacrity in his service, after a suitable manner; but that he should
abstain at present from the name of king, and that he should have the
honor of that dignity, if Cæsar should confirm and settle that testament
which his father had made; and that it was on this account, that when
the army would have put the diadem on him at Jericho, he would not
accept of that honor, which is usually so much desired, because it was
not yet evident that he who was to be principally concerned in bestowing
it would give it him; although, by his acceptance of the government, he
should not want the ability of rewarding their kindness to him and that
it should be his endeavor, as to all things wherein they were concerned,
to prove in every respect better than his father. Whereupon the
multitude, as it is usual with them, supposed that the first days of
those that enter upon such governments declare the intentions of those
that accept them; and so by how much Archelaus spake the more gently and
civilly to them, by so much did they more highly commend him, and made
application to him for the grant of what they desired. Some made a
clamor that he would ease them of some of their annual payments; but
others desired him to release those that were put into prison by Herod,
who were many, and had been put there at several times; others of them
required that he would take away those taxes which had been severely
laid upon what was publicly sold and bought. So Archelaus contradicted
them in nothing, since he pretended to do all things so as to get the
good-will of the multitude to him, as looking upon that good-will to be
a great step towards his preservation of the government. Hereupon he
went and offered sacrifice to God, and then betook himself to feast with
his friends.